Getty Images Jalen Hurts #1 of the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Philadelphia Eagles saw first-hand how prolific Deebo Samuel is when he is at his best.
Against the Eagles, in a pivotal Week 13 game that sparked Philadelphia’s late-season collapse, Samuel exploded for 116 yards and two touchdowns on four catches while adding three carries for 22 yards and another score in a 42-19 San Francisco 49ers blowout.
Despite boasting one of the more electrifying wide receiver duos in the NFL, in A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, and even after signing veterans DeVante Parker and Parris Campbell in free agency to add reliable veteran depth, the Eagles could look to add a young playmaker at receiver to quarterback Jalen Hurts‘ arsenal.
Western Kentucky’s Malachi Corley draws comparisons to Samuel by NFL Media’s Lance Zierlein, and could be a player to watch for the Eagles on Day 2 of the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft.
“Corley is a big, physical wideout,” Zierlein writes for NFL.com. “Who has been asked to carry a heavy workload for Western Kentucky using his talent after the catch. Corley’s highlight reel will be full of broken tackles and general carnage left in his wake.
“Like Brandon Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel when they were prospects, Corley has had a heavy percentage of his targets schemed around him and he will need to prove he can become more than just a quick-game bully or gadget guy.”
Across four seasons with the Hilltoppers, not only did Corley average 5.8 yards per carry, but his explosiveness was evident in the passing game with 259 receptions for 3,035 yards and 29 touchdowns while averaging 11.7 yards per catch.
How Malachi Corley Fits the Eagles
During free agency, the Eagles added All-Pro running back Saquon Barkley who is a versatile weapon as an explosive runner but an under-valued contributor in the passing game, as well.
Rounding back and adding Corley early in the draft would be borrowing from San Francisco’s blueprint by pairing an electrifying gadget player with two field-stretching receivers and a dominant ground attack.
Pro Football Focus lists Corley as a top target to watch for the Eagles on Day 2.
“The Eagles’ production after the catch substantially dropped in 2023,” Dalton Wasserman points out for PFF. “Western Kentucky’s Malachi Corley is dynamic with the ball in his hands and proved it by forcing 73 missed tackles over the past three seasons. Corley would provide a spark to Philadelphia’s RPO and screen games while he further develops his route running.”
Given the regression of the Eagles’ receiving corps behind Brown and Smith, Corley could be a plug-and-play weapon in spot duty this season while developing into a long-term No. 3 receiver in Hurts’ supporting cast.
Malachi leads all receiver prospects with 330 screen yards, according to Pro Football Focus, and averaged an elite 2.78 yards per route run last season.
Dropping Malachi alongside the likes of Brown, Smith, and Barkley would certainly tax opposing secondaries and create myriad opportunities for Hurts in the screen game.
Parris Campbell Confident in Nick Sirianni
Campbell figures to compete with Parker for the Eagles’ third receiver role but feels confident in returning to Nick Sirianni’s system, where he thrived in Indianapolis where Sirianni was the Colts’ offensive coordinator.
“He knows how to utilize me as a player,” Campbell told Olivia Reiner of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “He knows what my skills are. And then there’s more people in the building, too, that I’m familiar with. [Passing game coordinator/associate head coach] Kevin Patullo. J-Mike [Jason Michael], the tight ends coach.
“That’s one thing about this league, you never want to burn bridges. You always want to make great relationships. I have great relationships with those guys. It will be fun to reconnect, but it’s also welcoming and warming to feel wanted in that building.”
Campbell arrives in Philadelphia after catching just 20 passes for 104 yards with the New York Giants in 2023 but is looking to turn things around in 2024 in an Eagles uniform.