Tag: Malachi Corley NFL draft

2024 NFL Draft: Western Kentucky WR Malachi Corley scouting report

Western Kentucky receiver Malachi Corley could be the answer for any NFL team looking to draft the next Deebo Samuel.

Last season, per Sports Info Solutions, the San Francisco 49ers had an Offensive EPA of 0.18 when receiver Deebo Samuel was on the field, and 0.01 when he wasn’t. Samuel has become perhaps the NFL’s most important do-it-all receiver, and as the NFL is a copycat league, it makes sense that other NFL teams might be looking for their own versions in the draft.

That could be where Western Kentucky receiver Malachi Corley comes in. Last season for the Hilltoppers, Corley lined up 17% of the time outside, 67% in the slot, 12% tight to the formation, and 4% in the backfield. He ran everything from simple screens to go balls, and he wound up with 79 catches on 115 targets for 985 yards and 11 touchdowns. Eight catches and 15 targets were on passes of 20 or more air yards for 261 yards and four touchdowns, and he ran the ball four times for 11 yards and two touchdowns.

Corley has some things to refine in his game, especially as he goes to a league where the strength of competition will be far more formidable, but when he’s termed a “Deebo Jr.,” the tape shows why. I’ll be fascinated to see how his NFL team will deploy him.

PLUSES

— Some receivers avoid contact; Corley seems to be energized by it. 683 of his 985 receiving yards last season came after the catch.
— Corley really has it together on contested catches; he’ll run through a defender vs. zone to get open, and he has a nice sense of getting space in short areas vs. man/match.
— Nice ability to set defenders up with quick, subtle movements throughout his intermediate to deep routes.
— Catch radius is impressive for his size; Corley can twist his body around to get the ball in some weird spaces.
— Let’s just say that there were some timing issues on routes that probably weren’t on him; Corley has a lot of potential as an intermediate/deep target with a more timing/rhythm quarterback.
— Can be a real red zone threat both as a receiver with his ability to force space, and as a runner on sweeps and end-arounds.
MINUSES
— Strength of opponent will be an issue for some, but the tape tends to transcend it.
— If he was about three inches taller (5-foot-11, 215), Corley might rule the world. As much as his game is about winning at the point of attack, he’ll lose some jump-ball battles.
— Six drops last season, and 13 throughout his collegiate career. Too many of these were on simple screens and slants.
— Doesn’t have a burner fifth gear downfield; he gets open through toughness and route cuts more than anything. That and his height disadvantage might cap his NFL potential in an offense that isn’t set up for what he does do well.

As much as NFL teams are looking for the next Deebo Samuel, Corley’s is often the first name mentioned in this class. The physical tools and on-field deployment mesh with that to a point. The real question is, how will he be used in the NFL?

2024 NFL Draft Scouting Report: WR Malachi Corley, Western Kentucky

Corley has all of the tools to develop into a strong NFL contributor.

Western Kentucky wide receiver Malachi Corley is an intriguing prospect who will have little trouble finding interested NFL franchises, and his style of play means he’ll have a spot in the fantasy football conversation perhaps as early as Week 1 of his rookie season.

A two-way star in prep football, Corley played cornerback with physicality but opted to move full time to wide receiver at Western Kentucky. The senior heads to the NFL as one of the most dangerous yards-after-catch weapons in the draft class. He’s somewhat raw in the precision areas of the game, which presents room for growth, and you can’t teach his athletic prowess.

Height: 5-foot-11
Weight: 215 pounds
40 time: 4.46 seconds

Corley was highly productive at WKU, going for a touchdown every 8.2 catches the past two seasons combined. He has untapped potential as a rusher and even as a special teams returner. Corley’s body of work, physical tools, and remaining unrealized ceiling should find him a home as early as the late second round, though the third stanza seems to be a more likely landing spot.

Table: WR Malachi Corley, Western Kentucky (2020-23)

Year School Class Gm Rec Yds Avg TD Att Yds TD
*2020 W. Kentucky Fr 9 6 65 10.8 0 0 0 0
*2021 W. Kentucky So 14 73 691 9.5 7 1 -6 0
*2022 W. Kentucky Jr 14 101 1,295 12.8 11 11 87 0
*2023 W. Kentucky Sr 12 79 984 12.5 11 4 11 0
Total 49 259 3,035 11.7 29 16 92 0

*includes postseason/bowl games (stats from Sports Reference)

Pros

  • Powerfully built bowling ball in the open field who can run through arm tackles and create yardage for himself after the catch
  • Quality hands with late deployment to help keep defenders at bay
  • Having played cornerback at a high level helps him diagnose coverages presnap
  • Dangerous chain-moving outlet in short- and intermediate-area passing zones — at his best when schemed into touches around the line of scrimmages, allowing him to pick his way through blockers
  • Has the potential to be utilized as a gadget-play runner and even a special teams return man
  • Impressively productive in college and a prolific scorer in recent seasons — has shown the ability to put a passing game on his back
  • Not a bad route runner even though his experience isn’t where NFL coaches would like it to be after four years of college ball
  • Functionally solid blocker

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Cons

  • Punishing style opens him up to increased injury risk and, potentially, a shorter career
  • Too many concentration drops on tape, especially in congestion, despite being overall a quality pass catcher
  • Limited system fit and needs manufactured touches to be at his best, which can take the wrong style of offense out of rhythm
  • Needs to further develop his route tree
  • One could argue his production came vs. lesser competition

Fantasy football outlook

What happens if he doesn’t actually continue to grow as a traditional downfield weapon? Corley’s long-term outlook is exceptionally difficult to project from that aspect alone. Should he never develop into more than a quick-hit target who weaves through traffic, he won’t ascend to a WR1 in fantasy. Defenses will figure him out in a hurry and game plan against him, driving his efficiency down and eventually leading to his offensive coordinator to get away from him.

That’s not to say won’t have a role in such a scenario, but think Laviska Shenault as a floor if Corley cannot grow his game.

With all of that laid out, the near-term outlook is remarkably favorable if Corley lands in a favorable system, ideally a creative West Coast offshoot. Think of someone like Deebo Samuel, for example. While it’s not a perfect comparison from a player-to-player perspective, picture how he can catch five or six short passes, rack up 80 or so yards, and quickly post WR2 numbers in PPR — even if he doesn’t score a TD. Then tack on the potential for a handful of rushing attempts and he threatens WR1 placement any given week.

That would be the best-case outlook for Corley’s early career. Samuel has diversified his route tree and can attack from anywhere on the field. That’s the hopeful path for Corley. Provided he can become more well-rounded, expect a No. 1 ceiling to be within reach.

The third possible outcome — and least likely of the scenarios — is he could get moved to running back at some point in his career, much like Cordarrelle Patterson, which wouldn’t be the end of the world.