Dallas Cowboys Draft Target: 30 Visit With Western Kentucky WR Malachi Corley

The Dallas Cowboys' need for receiving help may take them to Day 2 of the NFL Draft. Is Western Kentucky receiver Malachi Corley a fit?

Dec 21, 2022; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Western Kentucky Hilltoppers wide receiver Malachi / Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

There’s much debate over where the Dallas Cowboys should spend their first-round pick, a selection that may be their most important in recent memory. With the team on the precipice of ending its competitive window and little urgency to speak of in free agency, finding a difference maker on Day 1 is imperative.

Several needs are on the table, from a Tyron Smith replacement on the offensive line to a center or defensive reinforcements – though admittedly the board likely falls on the offensive side of the ball. 

If Dallas decides to beef up the offensive line in Round 1, may it target a receiver with its Day 2 selections?

Dec 21, 2022; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Western Kentucky Hilltoppers wide receiver Malachi / Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

One potential target is Western Kentucky Hilltoppers receiver Malachi Corley. On Tuesday, he had a top 30 visit with the Cowboys.

Corley is a potential target with the team’s second-round pick at No. 56. In a stacked receiver class, it isn’t out of the question for him to fall to No. 87, either. 

At his core – no pun intended – Corley is an after-the-catch aficionado who dominates underneath. A disproportionate amount of his production came on screens, which could generally be a concern, but Corley isn’t going to be asked to be the most versatile target on the roster. He’ll be funneled targets meant to get him the ball in space without the hassle of beating defenders downfield.

In many ways, Corley resembles San Francisco 49ers receiver Deebo Samuel. While it may be overambitious to make a one-to-one comparison, their well-built frames and versatility as ball carriers sticks out, and the veteran provides a blueprint for how the prospect may be utilized.

Aside from potential conflict with receiver CeeDee Lamb’s proclivity for producing from the slot, Corley makes a good bit of sense for Dallas. Allowing Cooks to attack downfield, with Corley underneath and Lamb anywhere and everywhere else, gives the Cowboys a better plan of attack than they had in 2023. 

Thus far this offseason, Dallas hasn’t given quarterback Dak Prescott the tools necessary to compete. Perhaps that’s by design. But creating explosive plays out of easy completions could make it up to him.