NFL Fits: Malachi Corley
Malachi Corley burst into the college football season in 2022 for various reasons - explosive abilities, he’s a playmaker, tough hands - but he’s also the undisputed yards-after-catch (YAC) king of college football.
Across professional football media outlets, we’ve seen early mock drafts that have landed Corley between the first and second rounds. Based on these mock drafts, current NFL wide receiver rooms, and schemes…
Where does Malachi Corley fit best in the NFL?
San Francisco 49ers: This just makes sense. The 49ers have a receiver that Corley has been heavily compared to: Deebo Samuels. The two have similar physical attributes and skill sets. In an offense that already deploys the YAC King’s strong suits, the 49ers will likely want another young threat on the offense that can grow and develop in time with quarterback Brock Purdy.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Acquiring Corley is a move that would just round out the Jaguars receiving corps. 61.6% of the Jaguars passes have been short (zero to nine yards) or behind the line of scrimmage, typically to Christian Kirk, Evan Engram, and Travis Etienne. What’s similar between all three? Kirk had a career best 2022 campaign in terms of yards after catch. So did Engram (fact: 573 of his 890 yards came after the catch). In 2022, Etienne had 404 yards after the catch (even though he accumulated 346 net receiving yards). The physical abilities, explosiveness, vision, and YAC abilities are of very high value to the Jaguars. I don’t think Trevor Lawrence would be against this move at all.
Indianapolis Colts: This would be a fun fit. The other AFC South team on this list wants to capitalize on the offense with the addition of quarterback Anthony Richardson, and collecting players that are special with the ball in their hand is an important component of Shane Steichen’s offense - evidenced by his tenure with the Philadelphia Eagles. Corley would be an instant favorite of Richardson’s because he can make a quick draw up into a touchdown with quickness. In a room with Alec Pierce, Michael Pittman Jr, and Josh Downs, Corley fits right in as the missing piece.
Baltimore Ravens: Todd Monken is a YAC kind of guy, and this is certainly a skill the offense and quarterback Lamar Jackson would appreciate. The Georgia Bulldogs put up 4,424 receiving yards in 2022, with 2,311 of those being after the catch. So far, the Ravens newest rookie receiver, Zay Flowers, has accumulated 140 receiving yards, with 81 of those after the catch. Flowers is a five-foot-nine, 190 pound, dense and explosive receiver that brings a threatening skill set in the short range and behind the line of scrimmage. Corley is a five-foot-eleven, 210 pound slot receiver that is a major talent in the short range and behind the line of scrimmage. This is a location that makes sense for Corley and the Ravens.
Green Bay Packers: The Packers have invested in receivers with a wide range of skill sets, including Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, and others. In a thin room, the Packers are likely to add power to the corps in the offseason. Corley is a tough, durable, and reliable playmaker that quarterback Jordan Love needs on his radar on a consistent basis.
With the amount of NFL visits the Tops are getting, expect Corley to continue to make headlines - especially over the next nine weeks. Corley will continue to keep Western Kentucky a prominent force on the national scene.
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