Aaron Rodgers is nearing the end of his career and the “hot seat” rings louder for both Robert Saleh and Joe Douglas. The New York Jets understand the importance of this season. They are desperately looking to return to the playoffs. The only way to achieve this is by making some substantial additions. Offensive line remains the central objective, but another position that must be addressed is wide receiver. There is a depth of talented rookie wide receivers for the Jets to look at. Allen Lazard completely bottomed out last year and Garrett Wilson can’t do it alone. New York has been projected multiple times to take an offensive tackle at 10th overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. (primarily Taliese Fuaga out of Oregon State) Until trades start happening, New York only has a third-round pick before Day 3. However, they can still add to the wide receiver room.
Reliable Hands: Rookie Wide Receivers the Jets Are Interested In
The 2024 rookie class has a lot of talented individuals and potential stars waiting to join the league. Everyone is routinely infatuated with first-round quarterbacks such as Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, and Jayden Daniels. However, the wide receiver class is looking like a potential treasure trove of explosiveness. Rightfully, all eyes are on where Marvin Harrison Jr. and Malik Nabers can land within the top 10, along with Rome Odunze. Those three instantly become wide receiver-ones to whichever team selects them. This doesn’t mean it ends there.
Malachi Corley, Western Kentucky University
Ideally, New York will look to add the perfect complimentary option next to Wilson and Lazard as the wide receiver. If a rookie compliment is the goal, few have the potential to be as impactful as Malachi Corley. Just under 6′, what Corley lacks in size he makes up for in elusiveness. Arguably the best YAC receiver in the class, Corley can turn any catch inside the marker and turn it into a big play. He finished back-to-back seasons with 11 touchdowns and over 2250 receiving yards the last two years combined. With that kind of production with a healthy Aaron Rodgers can be massive for New York’s offense.
Got a hunch at the end of the day Malachi Corley will end up a lot closer to the first than the third round of rookie drafts
Top 50 pick and that potentially might end up being too lightpic.twitter.com/LYfrTeqxvo https://t.co/b7VLNZ9Jua
— Joe O’Leary (@TheHQNerd) February 24, 2024
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Ricky Pearsall, Florida
Should New York choose to opt for a bigger target after the disappointment of Allen Lazard last year, Ricky Pearsall would be a great high-upside option. The former Arizona State Sun Devil was one of Jayden Daniels’s favorite targets back at ASU. After the 2021 season, Pearsall was one of the many Sun Devil players to transfer. He went to Florida where Billy Napier helped unlock his potential. The six-foot-three wide receiver became a preferred target for future top-five pick Anthony Richardson in 2022. That momentum continued even without Richardson, as Pearsall finished the season with 965 yards and back-to-back seasons with six total touchdowns. In addition, his versatility in the running game can become a valuable asset in short-yardage situations. Especially when playing with a run blocker like Jeremy Ruckert at tight end.
Ricky Pearsall with an appearance! I thought he was as smooth as it gets, even if it means he’s not flying at top speeds the entire time. https://t.co/JWHtfaQT71 pic.twitter.com/HzbZJJVKRg
— Hayden Winks (@HaydenWinks) February 26, 2024
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Jalen McMillan, Washington
Although the less heralded of the Washington Huskies wide receiver room, Jalen McMillan can be a difference maker. While he failed to reach over 600 receiving yards this season, McMillan was deployed heavily by Kalen DeBoer. The junior wide receiver possesses a similar build to Garrett Wilson but can be more explosive at times. In 2022, McMillan helped get Michael Penix Jr. back on the map. To McMillan’s credit, he ended the 2022 season with nine touchdowns and 1,098 receiving yards on 79 catches. While taking a backseat to Odunze and Polk, McMillan was able to showcase some versatility as well. Should Nathaniel Hackett finally get creative, McMillan would be a great foil for opponent secondaries and make Garrett Wilson‘s life easier.
Recency bias has made people forget just how good Jalen McMillan is
Let me remind you
#NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/fkXS8QJf6t
— Cory P. (@FF_Guitarist) February 24, 2024
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Honorable Mentions
Jermaine Burton, Alabama; Johnny Wilson, Florida State; Xavier Legette, South Carolina
Main Photo: [Junfu Han] – USA Today Sports
The post Reliable Hands: Rookie Wide Receivers the Jets Are Interested In appeared first on Last Word on Pro Football.