Jets rookie wide receiver Malachi Coley beamed when asked by a reporter how many wide receivers try to avoid contact.
“That’s not me,” said Corey, the team’s third-round pick.
No it’s not.
Jets fans have seen highlights of Corley’s time at Western Kentucky, including play after play in which he ran over defenders.
“I just love football,” Corey said during rookie minicamp on Friday. “I love football and I think I love life too. I think part of my calling card is to be a good football player and the Lord has given me some talent and ability and I think you’ve blessed me with a confidence that’s out of this world, and I think that’s why I’m ready to punish somebody every time I get the ball. That’s how I like to play.”
The Jets hope Corey can use that mentality to improve their offense.
Of all the draft picks, Corey has the clearest path to earning playing time as a rookie.
Corey played slot receiver in college and will thrive in that spot.
Coach Robert Saleh said Kohli’s physical style was especially impressive in this era of “self-preservation.”
“He never goes over the edge,” Saleh said. “Another yard or two, every yard counts. You’ll see a lot of times where the ball carrier gets an eight-yard gain on first-and-10 and it bounces out. You get a second-and-2, you get a third-and-1, you punt vs. you put your foot on the ground and you go vertical, and now you get a first-and-10 again and you get another down. That’s a big difference in football.”
Corey and the other rookies were on the field Friday for the first day of rookie minicamp.
The draft pick hasn’t seen much action as the Jets are trying to stay healthy, but he will soon.
They will begin OTAs on May 20th, when the rookies will practice alongside their veteran teammates.
Corey is already on base with his new quarterback.
He and Aaron Rodgers have been talking and texting. Rodgers even offers to let Corey stay in a guest house, and Corey says he will take the veteran quarterback up on the offer.
Mr. Rogers knows Mr. Corey well because the two share an agent.
“The only time I talked to him was draft night,” Coley said. “I texted him the last few nights. I’m just like a little kid. He’s an adult. He’s an MVP, a Hall of Famer, that type of player. I talk to him all the time. , texting, trying to see what he’s been doing to stay consistent in the league, what he’s been doing to stay mentally healthy, how he’s been keeping his body alive. It’s like a small child.
“He said I could stay at his guest house if I wanted. So, yeah, me and him are close. That’ll be my dog while I’m here.”
The Jets could use Coley in a similar way to how the 49ers used Deebo Samuel.
Saleh said the coaches are thinking about ways to get the ball in their hands and make plays. But the player known in college as the “YAC King” still has work to do.
“He’s immature from a route-running ability standpoint,” Saleh said. “We’re obviously attacking it. I think we’re all having a lot of fun figuring out ways to get him the ball, just thinking about getting him the ball and the creativity that goes with it.” He’s unique in that way. He’s a smart kid who can absorb it. For him, we always talk about these “one things”: the JOT tape. The only thing he does is improve his routes and be able to run routes that create separation when he needs it in 3-4. Those are things he has to work on. ”
Corey said he wants to work on showing coaches that he can play not only in the slot but also on the outside and be known as more than just a gadget player.
“I don’t think it hurt my chances as a player very much,” Coley said.
