The Jets have mostly questions in the receiving corps after Garrett Wilson. They traded for Mike Williams, but he's coming off a torn ACL, so we'll see what kind of shape he's in at the start of the season. In any case, interest must be taken in their third-round wideout, Malachi Corley.
Corley interested me anyway because of his dual-threat potential as both a wide receiver and a running back. The solidly build (5-11, 215 at the combine) Western Kentucky product was used some as a runner the last two seasons, particularly in 2022 (11 carries, 87 yards).
Now we've got Aaron Rodgers calling him his favorite receiver in the draft. Hyperbole no doubt, but Rodgers liking you is a lot better than him not liking you, as his previous pass catchers would attest.
The question will be if the Jets do use him some as a runner. That would be intriguing, and it's been a boost to other rookie receivers in the past.
I pulled out all the wide receivers who got at least 8 rushing attempts as rookie this century. Some of the more productive ones went on to be big or at least modest stars: Tyreek Hill, DeSean Jackson, Deebo Samuel, Antwaan Randle El, Percy Harvin. Some never amounted to much. But a nice little boost to production.
Table sorted by rookie year rushing attempts; rushing and receiving stats and rank in PPR leagues their rookie seasons are shown. Guys who finished in the top 30 at the position have black dots; 2023 representatives are in bold.
| ROOKIE WIDE RECEIVERS WITH 8-PLUS RUSHING ATTEMPTS, 2000- | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | Att | Run | Avg | TD | Tgt | No | Rec | TD | Rk |
| 2016 | • Tyreek Hill, K.C. | 24 | 267 | 11.1 | 3 | 83 | 61 | 593 | 6 | 18 |
| 2002 | Antwaan Randle El, Pitt. | 19 | 134 | 7.1 | 0 | 65 | 47 | 489 | 2 | 55 |
| 2020 | Laviska Shenault, Jac. | 18 | 91 | 5.1 | 0 | 79 | 58 | 600 | 5 | 46 |
| 2021 | Rondale Moore, Ari. | 18 | 76 | 4.2 | 0 | 64 | 54 | 435 | 1 | 65 |
| 2006 | Brad Smith, NYJ | 18 | 103 | 5.7 | 0 | 15 | 9 | 61 | 0 | 120 |
| 2008 | • DeSean Jackson, Phil. | 17 | 96 | 5.7 | 1 | 120 | 62 | 912 | 2 | 30 |
| 2000 | • Peter Warrick, Cin. | 16 | 148 | 9.3 | 2 | 126 | 51 | 592 | 4 | 30 |
| 2009 | • Percy Harvin, Min. | 15 | 135 | 9.0 | 0 | 91 | 60 | 790 | 6 | 23 |
| 2019 | Deebo Samuel, S.F. | 14 | 159 | 11.4 | 3 | 81 | 57 | 802 | 3 | 31 |
| 2014 | DeAnthony Thomas, K.C. | 14 | 113 | 8.1 | 1 | 31 | 23 | 156 | 0 | 99 |
| 2023 | Derius Davis, LAC | 14 | 101 | 7.2 | 0 | 17 | 15 | 66 | 0 | 129 |
| 2018 | DJ Moore, Car. | 13 | 172 | 13.2 | 0 | 82 | 55 | 788 | 2 | 36 |
| 2023 | • Puka Nacua, LAR | 12 | 89 | 7.4 | 0 | 160 | 105 | 1486 | 6 | 4 |
| 2013 | Cordarrelle Patterson, Min. | 12 | 158 | 13.2 | 3 | 77 | 45 | 469 | 4 | 38 |
| 2005 | Matt Jones, Jac. | 12 | 51 | 4.3 | 0 | 69 | 36 | 432 | 5 | 53 |
| 2009 | Mike Thomas, Jac. | 12 | 86 | 7.2 | 0 | 62 | 48 | 453 | 1 | 70 |
| 2008 | Harry Douglas, Atl. | 12 | 69 | 5.8 | 1 | 39 | 23 | 320 | 1 | 81 |
| 2008 | • Eddie Royal, Den. | 11 | 109 | 9.9 | 0 | 129 | 91 | 980 | 5 | 14 |
| 2023 | • Jayden Reed, G.B. | 11 | 119 | 10.8 | 2 | 94 | 64 | 793 | 8 | 25 |
| 2023 | Tank Dell, Hou. | 11 | 51 | 4.6 | 0 | 75 | 47 | 709 | 7 | 39 |
| 2020 | • CeeDee Lamb, Dall. | 10 | 82 | 8.2 | 1 | 111 | 74 | 935 | 5 | 22 |
| 2020 | • Chase Claypool, Pitt. | 10 | 16 | 1.6 | 2 | 109 | 62 | 873 | 9 | 23 |
| 2008 | Donnie Avery, St.L. | 10 | 69 | 6.9 | 1 | 102 | 53 | 674 | 3 | 39 |
| 2010 | Jacoby Ford, Oak. | 10 | 155 | 15.5 | 2 | 54 | 25 | 470 | 2 | 56 |
| 2023 | Tre Tucker, L.V. | 10 | 77 | 7.7 | 0 | 34 | 19 | 331 | 2 | 89 |
| 2013 | Tavon Austin, St.L. | 9 | 151 | 16.8 | 1 | 69 | 40 | 418 | 4 | 53 |
| 2019 | Steven Sims, Was. | 9 | 85 | 9.4 | 1 | 56 | 34 | 310 | 4 | 66 |
| 2000 | Dennis Northcutt, Cle. | 9 | 33 | 3.7 | 0 | 82 | 39 | 422 | 0 | 70 |
| 2023 | Marvin Mims, Den. | 9 | 30 | 3.3 | 0 | 33 | 22 | 377 | 1 | 86 |
| 2020 | KJ Hamler, Den. | 9 | 40 | 4.4 | 0 | 56 | 30 | 381 | 3 | 88 |
| 2020 | Henry Ruggs, L.V. | 9 | 49 | 5.4 | 0 | 43 | 26 | 452 | 2 | 89 |
| 2020 | Lynn Bowden, Mia. | 9 | 32 | 3.6 | 0 | 37 | 28 | 211 | 0 | 115 |
| 2022 | Velus Jones, Chi. | 9 | 103 | 11.4 | 1 | 14 | 7 | 107 | 1 | 126 |
| 2023 | Zay Flowers, Balt. | 8 | 56 | 7.0 | 1 | 108 | 77 | 858 | 5 | 31 |
| 2004 | Larry Fitzgerald, Ari. | 8 | 14 | 1.8 | 0 | 115 | 58 | 780 | 8 | 31 |
| 2005 | Mark Clayton, Balt. | 8 | 33 | 4.1 | 1 | 87 | 44 | 471 | 2 | 55 |
| 2023 | Demario Douglas, N.E. | 8 | 41 | 5.1 | 0 | 78 | 49 | 561 | 0 | 64 |
| 2014 | Corey Brown, Car. | 8 | 95 | 11.9 | 0 | 36 | 21 | 296 | 2 | 91 |
| 2004 | Bernard Berrian, Chi. | 8 | 28 | 3.5 | 0 | 44 | 15 | 225 | 2 | 101 |
| 2017 | Taywan Taylor, Ten. | 8 | 43 | 5.4 | 0 | 28 | 16 | 231 | 1 | 110 |
I'm interested in Corley. When my pick approached in the third round of my rookie draft recently, I was going to select either him (who went one pick before me) or Steelers third-rounder Roman Wilson. I'll be interested to see who has a bigger role this year; both might reasonably be starters and No. 2s on their team. Since I'm a sucker for Harvin or Samuel types, I probably would have grabbed Corley if he'd been there, but both are intriguing.
--Andy Richardson