Productive Conference USA wideout linked to New Orleans Saints early in NFL Draft

Malachi Coley was a star cornerback/wideout on the football team and a standout basketball player at Campbellsville High School in Kentucky. Western Kentucky initially recruited him as a corner but moved him to the offensive line during his freshman year in 2020. He has 73 receptions, 691 yards and seven scores in a wide-open Hilltoppers offense in 2021 after recording six catches during a nine-game, coronavirus-shortened campaign. It turns out.

Corey’s stats exploded once he assumed the high-profile role in 2022. His 101 receptions and 1,295 receiving yards were tops in Conference USA, and he caught 11 touchdowns to rank fourth overall in the NCAA. He had 79 catches for 984 yards and 11 scores in 2023, earning first-team All-Conference USA honors for the second year in a row. Corey’s 259 career receptions are the most in Western Kentucky history.

Corey isn’t very tall, but he’s a stocky athlete with a strong physique and a physical playing style. He carried a heavy workload and was consistently highly productive in his final three years.

As a former cornerback, Corey appears to have natural route ability. He uses a variety of moves to set up defensive backs, including solid fakes, jukes, and speed-of-play adjustments. He attacks throws and reaches out without hesitation to retrieve passes, giving him a larger catch radius than his size would suggest.

NFL draft analyst Lance Zierlein compared Corey to 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel, and with good reason. Both have similarly powerful builds that make them deadly threats in the open field. Like Samuel, Corey also proved to be effective in the backfield and on jet sweeps.

Corey is a very physical runner who can consistently break tackles and gain yards. He has a frightening elusiveness, but also exhibits unusual vision in open spaces. As a result, he becomes a viable weapon anywhere in the formation in a variety of ways.

Some are concerned about the low level of competition Corey will face at Western Kentucky, but that shouldn’t be a big issue. The bigger concern is the very limited route tree he ran in the Hilltoppers offense. He needs to prove he can be effective with expanded route responsibilities, especially from the slot, while proving he can be open to a variety of coverages.

Corey also needs to sharpen his route breaks to compensate for his lack of top-end speed. He will need to show better awareness of open spots in zone coverage. He has surprisingly poor body positioning in traffic, which puts him at a huge disadvantage in contested throws and over-the-center goal-line situations.

Malachi Coley will likely be drafted on the second day of the draft. His ability in the open field and his track record in college could even see him drop as early as the second round. He looks like a slot specialist with versatile rushing skills and can contribute to the offense in a variety of ways.

Corey is projected by several to go to the Saints as a second-round pick, 45th overall. Remember, new offensive coordinator Clint Kubiak coached Deebo Samuel in San Francisco last season. He should be able to utilize Corey’s best traits for a New Orleans team that needs a consistent threat from the slot.