Aaron Rodgers may be the reason NY Jets drafted Malachi Corley

The NY Jets made it their top priority to land Western Kentucky wide receiver Malachi Corley on Day 2 of the 2024 NFL Draft, as the team spent the entire night attempting to secure a trade-up for the talented wideout.

In the end, Joe Douglas and Robert Saleh made good on their promise to draft Corley "no matter what," moving up to the top of the third round to select a player they have high hopes for. As it turns out, Douglas and Saleh weren't the only ones high on Corley.

In a recent interview with the Official Jets Podcast, Aaron Rodgers revealed that Corley was his "favorite receiver in the draft." Despite the fact that Corley was the 12th wide receiver selected in this year's draft, he stood out as Rodgers' personal favorite.

"Now, [Malachi Corley] might not have been the best on paper in the draft, but I really felt like he was going to fit in with what we're trying to do -- his mindset, his ferocity."

- Aaron Rodgers

Rodgers has spoken glowingly of Corley since the Jets drafted him, even going as far as to offer the rookie a temporary home in his guest house less than a week after the draft. The two have already begun to grow close over the last month.

Aaron Rodgers really wanted the NY Jets to draft Malachi Corley

Corley made a living as a YAC specialist at Western Kentucky, racking up more than 2,000 yards after the catch over the last three seasons. That's over 400 yards more than any other player at the FBS level during that timeframe.

While there have been some questions about his overall route tree and NFL readiness, the Jets believe in his potential and expect him to contribute right away as a rookie. Rodgers seems to have those same expectations.

In fact, Rodgers' love affair for Corley as a prospect likely contributed to the Jets' aggressiveness in drafting the former college standout. The Jets did their best to please their star quarterback.

Corley is expected to compete for playing time as a rookie as the team's projected starting slot receiver. He will compete for snaps as the Jets' WR3 behind Garrett Wilson and Mike Williams with 2023 free-agent signing Allen Lazard.

11 other wide receivers may have been drafted before Corley, but he caught the eye of one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history. This was very much an Aaron Rodgers pick.