Tag: Malachi Corley

Watch: Jets make call as they draft WR Malachi Corley

See the Jets making the call of a lifetime to Malachi Corley

Owner Woody Johnson and company were sweating, but in the end, the wait was worth it. The Jets got their guy in Western Kentucky wide receiver Malachi Corley.

The Jets reportedly were trying to move into the second round but couldn’t find a team to bite. When Corley slipped into third round, the Jets knew their time to strike had arrived. They made the call to the Carolina Panthers, offered a 5th-round pick and were to move from No. 72 to No. 65 to grab their guy.

It was Malachi Corley, no matter what, as head coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas texted each other.

Now, you can check out the team making the call to Corley to let him know he is officially a member of the New York Jets.

Robert Saleh, Joe Douglas with ‘Draft Day’ scenario drafting Malachi Corley

Malachi Corley, no matter what.

The 2014 movie “Draft Day” followed the story of Cleveland Browns general manager Sonny Weaver Jr looking to turn his team around. When the draft happens, the Browns move all over the board but ultimately stick to their plan of “Vontae Mack, no matter what.”

The Jets may have just had their own Draft Day scenario play out. The team shared what they claim is a real text message exchange between head coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas. The jist of the chat is that it was Malachi Corley, no matter what.

Sure enough, the Jets got their man, the wide receiver from Western Kentucky, with the 65th pick of the 2024 NFL Draft, moving up from No. 72 in a trade with the Carolina Panthers. New York sent a fifth-round pick to the Panthers to get the deal done.

The Jets tried to trade into the second round but ultimately couldn’t find a team willing to trade down that far. Fortunately for them, Corley fell into the third round and Douglas struck. The Jets now have the YAC King. They’ll likely also be going to Corley’s birthday party in the coming years.

Jets select Western Kentucky WR Malachi Corley with 65th pick of draft

The YAC King is coming to the Jets

The Jets landed their pass-catcher. New York moved up from No. 72 to No. 65 in the third round to select Western Kentucky wide Malachi Corley.

The Jets traded a fifth-round pick, No. 157 overall, to move up seven spots to secure Corley.

Corley is known as the “YAC king” thanks to his ability to make plays with the ball in his hands. Corley is explosive with the ball in his hands and is a receiver that can make plays all over the field once he gets into the open field.

In 2022, Corley caught 101 passes for 1,293 yards and 11 touchdowns. That included leading the FBS in yards after the catch as well as forced misses by a wide receiver. Last season, he caught 79 passes for 984 and 11 touchdowns in two fewer games.

The Jets may have gotten their own version of 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel, just in a smaller frame (5’10”, 207 pounds). Corley will make the offense that much more exciting.

Chargers mock draft roundup: Who Los Angeles is projected to take in Rounds 2-3

Analysts project what the Chargers will do with their picks on Day 2.

The Chargers came out of the first round with offensive tackle Joe Alt. After the selection, Los Angeles should have their focus on wide receiver, cornerback and the interior part of the defensive line.

General manager Joe Hortiz will have picks No. 37 and 69 to add more talent to the roster.

With that, here’s a glimpse at who L.A. could add on Friday based on what a few mock drafts are projecting.

CBS Sports’ Chris Trapasso 

Round 2: WR Keon Coleman, Florida State

Analysis: “Keon Coleman is a young wideout who plays a tick faster than his timed speed and flashes acrobatic catch skill.”

Round 3: LB Junior Colson, Michigan

NFL Media’s Lance Zierlein

Round 2: DT Braden Fiske, Florida State

Analysis: “Fiske is all gas and no brakes on every single snap, which is exactly what Jim Harbaugh is looking for.”

Round 3: WR Malachi Corley, Western Kentucky

Pro Football Focus’ John Kosko & Trevor Sikkema

Round 2: DT Jer’Zhan Newton, Illinois

Analysis: “The Chargers need to improve almost everywhere on defense. They find a versatile defensive lineman in Newton. He has some physical limitations due to his size and lack of natural flexibility, but his hand usage, pass-rush tools and block-shedding ability allow him to be very productive in any alignment from three-technique to five-technique.”

Round 3: RB Jonathon Brooks, Texas

“Brooks is an ideal blend of size, speed, strength and agility. Though limited in snap totals, he has good vision in both gap and zone run schemes. If he can get back to form following his torn ACL, he has all the goods to be a starting running back in the NFL.”

NBC Sports’ Eric Froton

Round 2: CB Cooper DeJean, Iowa

Analysis: “A tweener who many scouts profile as a slot corner/safety in addition to having game-breaking punt return prowess, DeJean allowed a 38% catch rate with just 44 YAC on 20 receptions this season. The Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year and member of the famed Bruce Feldman “Freaks List”, DeJean could be the Chargers’ new version of Eric Weddle.”

Round 3: WR Roman Wilson, Michigan

ESPN’s Steve Muench

Round 2: WR Ladd McConkey

Analysis: “The Chargers address their most pressing need at receiver after losing Mike Williams and Keenan Allen this offseason, snagging the No. 31 overall player on my board.”

Sports Illustrated’s Matt Verderame

Round 2: OL Jackson Powers-Johnson, Oregon

Round 3: TE Ja’Tavion Sanders, Texas

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler

Round 2: LB Junior Colson, Michigan

Round 3: RB Blake Corum, Michigan

Analysis: “Given the Chargers’ need for another running back and Jim Harbaugh’s affinity for Corum, this match feels almost too obvious.”

Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar

Round 2: DT Jer’Zhan Newton, Illinois

One WR prospect stands out as a special Cowboys draft interest

Malachi Corley is the only WR listed on the Cowboys 30-visit list indicating the Cowboys see him in a special light, says @ReidDHanson.

The Cowboys don’t appear to be overtly looking to add a receiver this draft cycle. With a starting receiver duo of CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks in place, Dallas has bigger holes to fill on their roster than WR.

Given their needs, the Cowboys are almost a lock to go offensive line in the first round. Alternative options are frightening scenarios to imagine, and immediate starters must be acquired. For the most part, the Cowboys scouting efforts have supported such action.

Dallas has scouted early options along the OL thoroughly. As the later rounds tick by, scouting efforts have moved through other positions of need. Running back and linebacker, specifically, have thorough connections by way of scheduled workouts and official visits. But one black rock stands out amongst the rest on the Cowboys’ visit list: Malachi Corley.

Corley, a Western Kentucky WR, has somehow snuck his way onto the Cowboys’ 30-visit list. At the moment, he’s the only known WR to make Dallas’ ultra-inclusive list. His presence is impossible to ignore as he could be an exception to their otherwise by-the-script strategy.

At 5-foot-10, 210-pounds, Corley is not the average WR prospect. Likened to Deebo Samuel to a near nauseating degree, Corley possesses the size, strength and speed to be a YAC (yards after the catch) monster in the NFL. Playing primarily out of the slot, Corley is a player who can receive the ball a number of ways. The former running back can play through contact and explode up field.

“I’ve been telling [the coaches] on those fourth-and-1s, ‘Please give me the ball. I’ll go get us a yard,’ Corley said to PFF earlier in the year. “There’s not much fear in my heart. I’ll run through a brick wall if someone tells me to.”

While the comparisons to Samuel are fair, so are comps to Laviska Shenault and a number of others who haven’t quite lived up to their billing. Teams have been looking for the next Samuel every year in recent drafts and haven’t been successful. Scheme will have a profound impact on Corley’s ability to replicate Samuel’s success and Mike McCarthy doesn’t jump out as someone who’s equipped to provide that scheme.

With that said, no one on the Cowboys coaching staff appears to be signed beyond the upcoming season. K.D. Drummond offered up a scenario in which the Cowboys are really working towards 2025 and could have their eyes on head coaching candidates like Ben Johnson and Bobby Slowik. Johnson is one of the more creative offensive minds in the league today and Slowik hails from the Kyle Shanahan coaching tree. If anyone other than San Francisco could get the most out of a prospect like Corley, it’s likely those gents.

Corley’s spot on the big board has been up for debate. He’s not a polished or nuanced route runner so he isn’t considered a plug-and-play weapon as an X or Z WR. Some scouts rank him in the WR20 range while others have him up in the WR10 area. Dallas is unlikely to consider him at Pick 24 but what if he makes it to Pick 56?

Rated as WR11 and 54 overall on Dane Brugler’s big board, Corley certainly seems like an option. He’s a good run blocker so his presence supports an inside WR role, and his playmaking ability comes close to the line of scrimmage meaning even if Dallas started over at QB, Corley doesn’t require a strong downfield passing attack to thrive. As Brugler pointed out, 75.7% of his receptions came within 10 yards of the line in 2023.

In 2024 Corley could compete with Jalen Tolbert for the third WR spot. Perhaps to be deployed situationally, Dallas could ease the young playmaker into a bigger role down the road.

Most are assuming the Cowboys will sign Lamb to new deal at some point in the near future. He’s among the best in the league and absolutely critical to the Dallas offense. But Cooks is a free agent after this season and no one currently on the roster appears up to the task of replacing him as WR2. It all shows Corley wouldn’t be a luxury pick in the second round but rather a developmental piece selected to fill a very big role in the near future.

Maybe it’s a smokescreen or maybe it’s just entertaining a front office person’s wild whim, but Corley is the only WR on the Cowboys list for a reason.

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Report: Saints to host Western Kentucky WR Malachi Corley on pre-draft visit

Report: New Orleans Saints to host Western Kentucky slot receiver Malachi Corley on official 30 visit before 2024 NFL draft

Malachi Corley is a popular name in the final weeks leading up to the 2024 NFL draft. The Western Kentucky wideout will be making an official 30 visit to meet with the New Orleans Saints in Metairie, per uSTADIUM, which reports that ten different teams are flying Corley in for formal meetings at their headquarters.

Often mischaracterized as “top 30 visits,” these consist of interviews with team brass as well as position coaches and tours of the facility. Teams like the Saints aren’t necessarily targeting the 30 highest-rated players on their board, so much as seeking more information on prospects who they don’t know that well. That could be due to either playing at a smaller program, incomplete athletic testing in combine drills, or simple scheduling conflicts earlier in the process. Draft prospects with medical questions or character concerns are also often brought in for these official visits, which are capped at 30 for each team.

So what’s the deal with Corley? He weighed in at 5-foot-10 and 215 pounds (closer in size to Alvin Kamara than any receivers on the Saints’ roster) and posted good, not great, times in the 40-yard dash (4.49) and short shuttle (4.22). That gave him a tentative Relative Athletic Score of 7.76 which is beneath the Saints’ usual standards, so it’s possible they want him to run the three-cone drill and go through the vertical and broad jumps privately in order to round out his scouting report.

But enough about that: what can he do on the field? Corley was a dynamic slot receiver at Western Kentucky, lining up outside on just 13.5%, 7.7%, and 3.0% of his routes the last three years. He’s impressive after the catch — Corley averaged 8.6 yards after the catch per reception last year, a yard shy of his average (9.7) the year before. He’s scored 29 touchdowns and converted 137 first downs in his Hilltoppers career. He’d be a good fit in Klint Kubiak’s offense as someone who can make a play with the ball in his hands. Corley currently projects as a second-round draft pick.

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Could the Bucs draft the next Deebo Samuel?

Western Kentucky’s Malachi Corley has drawn comparisons to Deebo Samuel, and he’s on the Bucs’ radar heading into the 2024 NFL draft

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers already have one of the NFL’s best wide receiver tandems in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, and a big-play threat in Trey Palmer who’s coming off a promising rookie season.

That might not stop them from taking advantage of an incredibly deep wide receiver class in the 2024 NFL draft, though.

If the Bucs do want to dip into this year’s talented group of pass-catching prospects, Western Kentucky’s Malachi Corley could end up being one of their top targets.

A versatile, explosive weapon for the Hilltoppers, Corley has drawn predraft comparisons to San Francisco 49ers star receiver Deebo Samuel, thanks to his strong frame and ability to make big plays anytime the ball’s in his hands.

The Bucs have already shown interest in Corley, as he’ll be among the prospects making a top-30 predraft visit to the team facility:

Adding Corley would give the Bucs offense yet another dynamic playmaker, and one that could allow new offensive coordinator Liam Coen to get creative with how he engineers touches for such a versatile weapon.

If they’re able to fill their more pressing needs with their top picks, don’t be surprised if the Bucs make a strength even stronger by adding Corley to their receiver room on draft weekend.

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2024 NFL draft: WR Malachi Corley in Pittsburgh to meet with Steelers

Malachi Corley is a fast-rising receiver in the 2024 NFL draft.

On Tuesday, Western Kentucky wide receiver Malachi Corley posted on his Instagram Story that he was in Pittsburgh. With it being highly unlikely he was just in town for a little vacation, it’s safe to assume Corley was having a Top 30 visit with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Corley is a fascinating prospect because his draft stock is tied to the scheme he’s drafted in and his role in an offense. In a system that gets Corley the football on the perimeter or quickly, Corley is a run-after-the-catch monster. He’s physical in his routes and works hard for every blade of grass.

He’s been compared to San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel by some pundits. Corley’s ceiling might be close to Samuel but he needs to work on his route tree to be an every-down receiver in most schemes. However, we can definitely see a lot of JuJu Smith-Schuster in his game, especially the physicality.

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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?

B/R labels Malachi Corley as the perfect fit for Saints WR corps

The Saints should look to add a wide receiver at some point in the 2024 NFL draft. Is Malachi Corley the perfect fit with Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed?

Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed provide a solid foundation for the New Orleans Saints receiving corps, but confidence thins in that position group after that. A.T. Perry could carve out a bigger role in his second season. Derrik Klassen labels Western Kentucky’s Malachi Corley and his yards after catch as the perfect fit for New Orleans in the NFL draft.

Everyone loves a short, stocky receiver with a mean streak, hence everyone loves Malachi Corley. A sturdy 5’11” and 215 pounds, he is more running back than wide receiver. He’s not yet a polished, expansive route-runner, but my word can he bring the pain with the ball in his hands. He’s an explosive, violent ball-carrier with the natural vision and balance to squeeze out extra yards in any scenario. At the very least, he is going to be a nice screen and underneath YAC threat in the NFL.

An ability to run after the catch is an attribute the Saints should look to improve from last season, but it doesn’t appear to be the top priority in skill sets to add. The Saints are in the market for a receiver with size. The Saints just lost Michael Thomas, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see them add someone similar to replace him.

Corley’s ability with the ball in his hands could lead him to a Deebo Samuel-style role. The two are comparable in size, and the 49ers, ironically, were also listed as a perfect fit. It’s less about Corley’s talent and more about alignment with the Saints’ vision. They are in the market for a bigger receiver to operate in the middle of the field and catch 50-50 balls. That isn’t something he’s shown much of a knack for after going 4-17 on contested targets last season, but Corley does enough other things well to where he could still be on the team’s radar.

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