FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- In the moment, it was real life imitating Hollywood.
On Day 2 of the 2024 NFL draft, then-New York Jets coach Robert Saleh texted a photo of Western Kentucky wide receiver Malachi Corley to general manager Joe Douglas, adding the message: "No matter what."
Douglas texted back: "No matter what."
The lighthearted exchange, which the Jets later shared on social media, was a spoof on the 2014 movie "Draft Day." In the film, Kevin Costner plays a GM and writes a predraft note to himself: "Vontae Mack no matter what." Like Costner, Douglas got his man. Several hours after Saleh's text, he traded up seven spots to select Corley with the first pick in the third round.
The Jets were giddy with their choice. So was Corley, who told reporters he wanted to move into Aaron Rodgers' house so he could learn from the quarterback.
A lot has changed in 14 months. Rodgers, Douglas and Saleh are gone; Corley could be, too, if he doesn't alter his career trajectory.
Corley, whose only notable moment as a rookie was an embarrassing ball drop/fumble at the goal line that resulted in a touchback (in a prime-time game, no less), faces an intense battle in training camp for a roster spot. The new regime has no allegiance to him, which means there's no benefit of the doubt.
He spent the past few weeks, including mandatory minicamp, sitting out with an undisclosed injury. Corley, known as the "YAC King" in college because of how he was able to use power and speed to gain yards after the catch, won't win any crowns from the sideline.
"He's going to have to find a way to catch himself up," offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand said last week.
The Jets are installing a new offense, so every lost day is critical.
For all the draft-day fanfare, Corley never was embraced by the previous coaching staff -- which noticed immediately that his route running lacked precision, likely the byproduct of having a limited route tree at WKU.
The entire building was under intense pressure to win, and the coaches didn't trust him enough to put him in the game, especially with the ultra-demanding Rodgers running the show. Corley played only nine games, just 83 snaps on offense, and finished with three receptions for 16 yards. He was a healthy scratch in five games. Because he didn't play special teams, it was difficult to put him on the game-day roster.
The low point was Halloween night. On his first NFL carry, he wiped out what would've been an 18-yard touchdown by releasing the ball a split-second before he crossed the goal line -- a premature celebration that cost his team six points and resulted in a loss of possession. Fortunately for him, the Jets pulled out a win over the Houston Texans, turning his blooper moment into a secondary story.
"It's not a defining moment for me," Corley said days later.
He gets a clean slate from the new coaching staff, but that doesn't mean he's a shoo-in for a roster spot. Coach Aaron Glenn wants to create a meritocracy, so he's not about to hand out a freebie. He's aware of Corley's reputation at WKU, where he racked up 2,068 YAC from 2021 to 2023 -- 400 more yards than the next-closest player in the FBS.
"Here's what I remember from Corley: His ability to get the ball in his hands and make something happen," Glenn said. "When you have a player like that, the first thing you think about is screens, you think about punt return, kick return. You think about things like that."
Glenn said Corley hasn't secured a specific role because he missed significant time in the offseason, but he added, "There's a plan for him, and we're going to make sure that we try to utilize him to what he can do best, and we've seen that in college. Hopefully, he gets well soon, and we get a chance to utilize his skill set."
After Garrett Wilson, the Jets' receiving corps is relatively wide open and competitive. The next tier consists of Josh Reynolds, Allen Lazard, Xavier Gipson and Tyler Johnson, with Corley and fourth-round pick Arian Smith in the next group. Jamaal Pritchett, an undrafted rookie from South Alabama, impressed in the spring and could push for a spot. Typically, a team keeps five or six receivers on its 53-man roster.
Gipson and Pritchett have return ability, which helps their cause. Smith and Corley could get return opportunities in the preseason. The organization wants to see Corley succeed, but it also wants to see growth. He can start by being ready for the first training camp practice, on July 23.
"My old coach, Bill Parcells, used to say the first thing you need to be is you need to be available," receivers coach Shawn Jefferson said. "He's missed some time, and there's a learning curve here, so he's in catch-up mode right now."