With the 2024 NFL Draft coming more into focus as each week passes, our eyes are on the top playmakers in the country. Western Kentucky wide receiver Malachi Corley fits that bill. We’re diving into Corley’s scouting report for next year’s NFL Draft.
Malachi Corley Draft Profile and Measurements
- Height: 5’10 5/8″
- Weight: 215 pounds
- Length: 75 1/2″
- Wingspan: 30 7/8″
- Hand: 9″
- School: Western Kentucky
- Position: Wide Receiver
- Current Year: Redshirt Junior
Nicknames can come off as a bit disingenuous when they’re self-proclaimed. Look at Corley’s social media, and you’ll see him referred to as the “YAC King” in multiple spots. No one bats an eye — because he’s absolutely right.
Corley is the YAC — Yards After Catch — King of the 2024 NFL Draft, and virtually everyone agrees. Corley had one of the lowest average depth of targets in college football over the past two years for one reason: The Hilltoppers just wanted the ball in his hands.
Malachi Corley: Officially good at football 🔥
CFB Live Blog: https://t.co/hXJg4VxML9
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) September 24, 2022
Corley, a former two-star recruit, led the nation in total YAC and YAC per reception in 2022 (min. 80 targets), and in 2023, he racked up 101 catches for 1,295 yards and 11 touchdowns. Now, the 22-year-old is on his way to the 2024 NFL Draft, where he could be a dream pick for one lucky offensive coordinator.
Corley Scouting Report
Strengths
- Hyper-dense bowling ball at 215 pounds with the mass of a running back.
- Uniquely explosive and compact long-strider who can stretch seams when he has space.
- Jetpack-wearing juggernaut with elite attack explosiveness and angle-erasing burst.
- Has the hand strength and focus to corral contested throws over the middle of the field.
- Able to gather passes in stride while keeping speed and turning upfield for RAC yards.
- Flashes the ability to make adjustments for imprecise passes with body control.
- Has shown he can employ energetic, efficient footwork on quick slants and out routes.
- Shows glimpses of spatial IQ, flowing through zones and sitting in DB blind spots.
- Raging bull after the catch with vision and terse physicality turbocharged by athleticism.
- Has explosive one-cut agility in space and can swerve away from tacklers at max speed.
- Has hyper-elite contact balance, bouncing off tackles and carrying momentum with ease.
- Can completely absorb solo hits with his midsection and secure catches through hits.
- Effortlessly churns his legs through arm tackles and is very hard to redirect at contact.
- Has the versatility to be used in motion and schemed touches in countless ways.
- Incredibly tenacious blocker who squares up opponents and unleashes at contact.
Weaknesses
- Long speed, while solid, isn’t at the breakaway level in open field.
- With his stout frame and below-average length, lacks an elite catch radius.
- Lacking length can make him easier to corral and obstruct at the catch point for DBs.
- Doesn’t have the sheer size to box out DBs at the catch point and adjust on fade routes.
- Hand precision in contested situations can improve, and contact exacerbates issues.
- Route tree in college was relatively simplistic and has room to be expanded in the NFL.
- Was featured on lots of quick underneath concepts and can develop more variability.
- At times runs too far upright when pressing into stems, stalling redirections versus DBs.
- At times loses balance chopping feet at stems and is still gaining comfort with tempo.
- Schemed touches limited press-man experience, and length may affect translatability.
- Sometimes lets passes into his frame over the middle, which can be a source of drops.
Current Draft Projection and Summary
Corley grades out as a top-64 prospect in the 2024 NFL Draft, who could field top-50 consideration from teams needing a weapon at the WR position. Round 1 may be a bit rich considering the projection required for Corley’s three-level profile, but in the right offense, he has game-breaking potential.
Corley is essentially a running back playing the WR position. That means exactly what you think — both good and bad. At around 5’10” and 215 pounds, Corley has an incredibly unique frame at WR, granting him hyper-elite contact balance and strength after the catch.
What’s more, Corley weaponizes his frame with bristling speed and explosiveness, relentless physicality, and vision while engaging his blocks. At Western Kentucky, he was utilized in many different ways — on screens, swings, sweep motions, drag routes, slants, and even out of the backfield as an RB.
The main drawback with Corley is this: He’s a weapon first and a wide receiver second. He still has a lot of room to expand his route tree and learn how to separate independently, particularly at the intermediate level. Although he has strong hands, his lack of length can be an issue in contested situations.
Nevertheless, in a space-dominated modern NFL, Corley has the athletic and mental tools to dominate defenders. Comparisons to Deebo Samuel are often made because of Corley’s physical profile, and while Samuel is more refined, those pure physical comparisons are warranted. Simply get him the ball and let him eat.
Early in his NFL career, Corley can be a solid starting slot WR with vast usage versatility, top-end RAC utility, and toughness as a blocker. There shouldn’t be a long runway for him to become a truly elite yard-creating weapon, and with more development as a separator, he can be an impact starter.
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