The Jets player with the most hype this offseason isn't one of the Jets' most biggest names
It's not Aaron Rodgers, Breece Hall, Sauce Gardner or Quinnen Williams. The Jets player garnering the most attention from players, fans and pundits alike is third-round rookie wide receiver Malachi Corley.
The self-proclaimed "YAC King" continued to tear up offseason workouts for the Jets just a month after New York took him with the No. 65 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. His footwork, strength and catch ability have been on display throughout the summer and his teammates have taken notice.
Jets third-year wide receiver and 2021 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Garrett Wilson gushed over his new offensive running mate at OTAs this week. Wilson called Corley "a brute" and "a bowling ball" when he catches the football in space. Wilson, Corley and free-agent acquisition Mike Williams give Rodgers a solid trio of pass catchers to open the year.
"The boy's a brute and once he catches that ball – he's got great instinct of where this defense is going to be at, how to make someone miss," Wilson said, via the Jets' official website. "Like I said, he can go over the middle, take hits. I'm excited to see him run with the ball once we have pads on because I know I wouldn't be trying to tackle him man. He looks like a prime little bowling ball out there, so I'm excited."
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Rodgers effused praise for Corley as well. The veteran quarterback called Corley his "favorite receiver in the draft" because of how the rookie will fit into the Jets' offense in 2024. Rodgers liked Corley so much he is even letting the young wideout stay in his guesthouse this summer.
"Now, he might not have been the best on paper in the draft," Rodgers said on The Official Jets Podcast. "But I really felt like he was going to fit in to what we are trying to do with his mindset and his ferocity. So enjoyed bringing him in."
Corley is primed for a key role on the Jets as a possession receiver in the middle of the defense. He's been compared to the 49ers' Deebo Samuel in the past and posted bench press reps on par with Seahawks receiver D.K. Metcalf. Corley also earned Randall Cobb comparisons — a player Rodgers knows all too well from their time together with the Packers and one season with the Jets in 2023.
The Jets need all the help they can get in 2024 to compete for a Super Bowl. Corley will be a big piece of that puzzle if the Jets want to break their 13-year playoff drought at least.