Jets Live Up To 'All-In' Mantra By Trading Up For WR

FLORHAM PARK - Whenever you can make a Hall-of-Fame quarterback happy with one draft selection, you know you made the right pick.

When Day 2 of the 2024 NFL Draft began, the New York Jets were trying desperately to trade up into the second round for Western Kentucky wide receiver Malachi Corley.

As an early run on receivers came, it didn't appear easy to see if the Jets would be able to land their guy.

"We were sitting at 72...that was a long way for a lot of teams to travel," Jets general manager Joe Douglas said. "We started making calls midway through the second round...but ultimately there wasn't a lot of desire for teams to come back."

In the end, the second round came and went, and New York was unable to make a trade. The minute the clock turned into the third round, though, the Jets pounced. Gang Green traded up for the first pick in Round 3 and got the player they were looking for all along.

"(Corley) is elite with the ball in his hands," New York head coach Robert Saleh said. "We'll get him here. He has some things to work on but we love his attitude, his mindset. He's going to bring an added element to our team."

Corley comes to the Jets with plenty of dominant college tape on his resume. He also comes with plenty of confidence. Speaking to members of the Jets beat immediately after being the 65th overall pick, the Hilltopper prospect was adamant that this was always where he expected to be.

"To be honest, I always thought I'd be in a position to play in the NFL," Corley said. "I think God puts you in certain positions for a purpose. He put me in Western Kentucky for a reason...my entire life has been working on my game and breaking barrier after barrier."

In four seasons at Western Kentucky, Corley caught over 250 passes for over 3,000 yards and 29 touchdowns. Nicknamed the 'YAC-King,' Corley was among the best in the country and turned small plays into major gains.

For a Jets offense that struggled to produce big plays last season, Corley's entrance to the team is very much needed. So much so that when asked about his quarterback's feelings, Jets head coach Robert Saleh stated Aaron Rodgers sent a text saying he was excited.

"I think it's unbelievable and it gives me a lot of confidence going into rookie camp," Corley said when asked about Rodgers' feelings. "Having a veteran quarterback, playing with someone like that is an unbelievable feeling."

Corley is just the latest example of the Jets front office pushing all their chips for the 2024 regular season. New York made multiple splashes in free agency for tackles like Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses, while also adding former Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Mike Williams. With Rodgers at the helm at quarterback, and plenty of other offensive weapons at the team's disposal, the aggression to get Corley no matter the cost is just a further development in their "all-in" approach.

Arguably the most unique part of Corley's game, though is not just his ability to dominate the yards-after-catch statistic, but the way he does it. New York values the violence Corley plays with.

Saleh felt that the receiver would run over a family member in order to get into the end zone.

In apparent Corley fashion, the top Conference-USA player made it clear that he agreed with his new head coach.

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"Dang right."

The Jets have gone all-in on Corley, and Corley has gone all-in with his new team.