Getty Jets rookie WR Malachi Corley was named the team's most dangerous addition.
The New York Jets made plenty of additions this offseason, but rookie wide receiver Malachi Corley is standing out as the most potentially dangerous move.
Bleacher Report’s Ryan Fowler broke down the most dangerous addition for each NFL team. For the Jets, Fowler laid out why Corley could be such a lethal upgrade to the team’s offense.
“[Mike] Williams and Garrett Wilson will gobble up targets on the perimeter, but Corley’s ability to align up and down the line of scrimmage will give quarterback Aaron Rodgers and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett a unique chess piece to utilize,” Fowler wrote.
Corley may end up being the missing piece to unlock the Jets offense.
What Makes Malachi Corley Stand Out?
The Jets were fired up after taking Corley in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft. In fact, Joe Douglas and Robert Saleh texted each other about Corley the morning before drafting him.
from Coach Saleh and Joe Douglas’ texts this morning
The Jets could have traded up for a player like Rome Odunze or Brock Bowers earlier in the draft. Instead, the Jets opted to take an offensive tackle in Olu Fashanu in the first round, knowing that they could wait to take Corley instead.
Corley was a pivotal weapon for Western Kentucky in college. He racked up 29 touchdowns with 253 receptions for 2,970 yards over a three-year span. He was rewarded with two first-team All-CUSA selections in 2022 and 2023.
At 5’10” and 207 pounds, Corley is a shorter but well-built wide receiver. That gives him the ideal slot build at the NFL level. On top of that, he was extremely dangerous after the catch, which is why the Hilltoppers utilized him so frequently in the quick screen game, trying to get the ball in his hands immediately.
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein was particularly high on Corley as a prospect. He even went as far as to compare Corley to San Francisco 49ers star Deebo Samuel.
Those are big shoes to fill for a rookie. However, the Jets seem confident that he can be given a bigger workload in his first NFL season.
Aaron Rodgers Is a Malachi Corley Fan
Aaron Rodgers has had a reputation for not trusting younger receivers. That doesn’t seem to be the case with Corley.
Rodgers even went as far as claiming that Corley was his favorite receiver in the 2024 NFL Draft.
“Now, he might not have been the best on paper in the draft,” Rodgers said. “But I really felt like he was going to fit in with what we’re trying to do — his mindset, his ferocity.”
As if that wasn’t enough, Rodgers has even invited Corley to stay in his guest house as he gets acclimated with the city and his new NFL playbook. The move was such a shocking one that former Green Bay Packers teammate Amari Rodgers called out the future Hall of Fame quarterback for not extending the same courtesy when he was drafted.
Regardless of Rodgers’ previous feelings on playing with younger receivers, it appears that he’s very receptive to the idea of working with Corley in 2024 and beyond.
Comments
Jets Rookie Named Team’s Most Dangerous Addition