The San Francisco 49ers have reportedly been fielding trade offers for star wide receiver Deebo Samuel. While the New York Jets have seemingly yet to enter those talks, they may have acquired their version of the playmaker, on Friday trading up to take Western Kentucky's Malachi Corley atop the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Corley, 22, has drawn comparisons to Samuel due to his rugged knack for gaining yards after the catch, notably leading the nation in that category over the last two seasons. He first drew the Jets' eye midway through the second round, general manager Joe Douglas told reporters later, and after several attempts to move up, New York finally found a trade partner in the Carolina Panthers at No. 65 overall.
"We're juiced, man," Douglas said of the pick. "He plays with violence and anger."
CBS Sports NFL draft expert Chris Trapasso declared Corley an "angry wide receiver who plays like a running back with the ball in his hands" when grading the selection Friday. While the new Jets weapon was "predominantly deployed as (a) gadget type" in college, he "showcased insane contact balance" and should serve as a "fun extension of the Jets' run game" out of the gate.
Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers appeared to approve of the pick, posting an eyeballs emoji on X (formerly Twitter) shortly after the selection, which followed Thursday's first-round pick of Penn State offensive tackle Olu Fashanu. New York also added former Los Angeles Chargers wideout Mike Williams in free agency.
