Browns 2024 Combine Prep: Wide Receiver Malachi Corley
The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers have had arguably the most fun passing offense in college football for the past five years. You don't have to turn the clock back very far to the days when Bailey Zappe broke all of the college football passing records.
He passed the torch off to Austin Reed who picked up right where he left off, and his favorite target was Malachi Corley.
Corley was a four-year player for the Hilltoppers and will still be 21 years old when he is drafted. Throwing the 2020 season out the window as he only hauled in six catches, Corley was a playmaker for the rest of his career.
Corley came to Western Kentucky as a running back hoping to be carrying the rock and you can see that in the way he embraces contact. His hands cannot be denied and while he doesn't have elite breakaway speed, his quickness in and out of cuts will be the difference.
In his second season, he hauled in seven touchdowns and finished with just 691 receiving yards. Year three was when he exploded onto the scene. In 14 games he caught 101 passes for 1,295 yards and 11 touchdowns. The team finished 9-5 that season with losses to Indiana and Auburn.
In 2023, Corley picked up right where he left off. He played in two fewer games than he did in 2022 and while he didn't rack up as many yards, he found the paint 11 more times and tallied 984 yards.
The important game to look at to truly understand Corley's game is Week 2 this past season, against Ohio State who had one of the best defenses in college football over the last five years. In that game, Corley finished with eight catches for 88 yards and one touchdown.
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers wide receiver Malachi Corley (11) turns up field after making a catch as Auburn Tigers take on Western Kentucky Hilltoppers at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022. Auburn Tigers and Western Kentucky Hilltoppers are tied 17-17 at halftime.
© Jake Crandall / USA TODAY NETWORK
He would be a really good fit for the Cleveland offense as an Elijah Moore lookalike. If Cedric Tillman can come along in year two and offer the second outside option to Amari Cooper leaving the slots to Moore and Corley he could help unlock the Browns' passing attack.
Don't let the logo fool you, Malachi Corley has the tools to be a really nice pro and one that upgrades the Cleveland Browns offense.
