Jets Country

Young New York Jets Fan Shows Support for Rookie with Repurposed Jersey

The New York Jets added a rookie wide receiver in the NFL draft and fans look ready to show their support at training camp sessions.

Dylan Sanders

Dec 18, 2023; Charlotte, NC, USA; Western Kentucky Hilltoppers wide receiver Malachi Corley (11) runs the ball against the Old Dominion Monarchs during the first quarter at Charlotte 49ers' Jerry Richardson Stadium.
Dec 18, 2023; Charlotte, NC, USA; Western Kentucky Hilltoppers wide receiver Malachi Corley (11) runs the ball against the Old Dominion Monarchs during the first quarter at Charlotte 49ers' Jerry Richardson Stadium. / Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports
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The New York Jets drafted a rookie wide receiver in the recent NFL draft and it looks like fans are ready to show their support.

With training camp underway, Jets supporters have gotten their first glimpse of Malachi Corley and things are going well.

The official New York account on X, formerly known as Twitter, shared a photo of a young fan wearing a jersey with the same number as the rookie. What stood out was that it had a custom name plate that showed the rookies college nickname, 'YAC King.'

It's clear that this is not the first use of this jersey. With Garrett Wilson changing his number to five for this upcoming season, Corley jumped at the chance to grab the No. 17 jersey. Instead of just wearing his outdated Wilson uniform, the fan instead decided to show off a makeshift one.

The 'YAC King' moniker is something that Corley takes seriously. It's present within his bio across social media accounts.

It is an apt name for those who saw him play in college and how he will likely be utilized at the next level with the Jets coaching staff.

Across his four years with the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, though he only consistently contributed for three seasons, he racked up 259 catches for 3,035 yards and 29 touchdowns.

During his redshirt freshman season, he averaged 9.5 yards per catch. It's clear that he was not the guy that would take the top off of defenses. He was able to grow that number closer to 13 yards per catch over the next few campaigns as he grew into his body.

The 22-year-old is built like a running back and uses that to his ability. He can make something out of nothing, turning a short-yardage catch into a first down on a regular basis.

Given the play styles of teammates Wilson and Mike Williams, there should be a role on the team as a rookie for Corely in the slot.

New York's star running back, Breece Hall, was one of the best players in all of the NFL for yards after the catch last season, but none of the receivers really excelled. No other player ranked within the top-25 for YAC.

Wilson finished 2022 ranked at No. 15, but saw a dip in production in a year that saw him drop two yards per catch from the year before.

Expectations could be high for the rookie to come in and provide a new play style for the offense. He has a tough road ahead of him to live up to his nickname.

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Dylan Sanders
DYLAN SANDERS

Dylan Sanders graduated from Louisiana State University with a degree from the Manship School of Mass Communication in 2023. He was born in raised in Baton Rouge, LA but has also lived in Buffalo, NY. Though he is a recent graduate, he has been writing about sports since he was in high school, covering different sports from baseball to football. While in college, he wrote for the school paper The Reveille and for 247Sports. He was able cover championships in football, baseball and women's basketball during his time at LSU. He has also spent a few years covering the NFL draft and every day activities of the New Orleans Saints. He is a Senior Writer at Inside the Marlins and will also be found across Sports Illustrated's baseball sites as a contributing writer. You can follow him on Twitter or Instagram @dillysanders

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