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WKU's Malachi Corley. Alberto Silva Fernandez/ El Paso Times / USA TODAY NETWORK

Former All-Pro WR Steve Smith names his 'steal' of the 2024 draft

By Colum Dell | Last updated 2/14/24

Since retiring from the NFL after the 2016 season, former All-Pro wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. has dabbled in evaluating prospects and providing assessments of whether he believes they'll have successful careers.

In particular, Smith specializes in analyzing draft-eligible wide receivers and has built a solid track record of identifying talent over the years. Because of this, it's worthwhile to hear his insight on wideout prospects, especially since the 2024 draft class is rich with talent at the position.

While the NFL Scouting Combine doesn't start until Feb. 29, Smith has already watched plenty of film on prospects, and one wide receiver has caught his eye. Recently speaking on his podcast "Cut To It," Smith named Western Kentucky's Malachi Corley his "steal of the draft."

"Best player on his team. He got that dog in him, too," Smith said of Corley. "I want to see how he does against better talent. He's going to get clumped into the [category of] 'well, he didn't play any good competition.' He didn't. But the competition he did play on, he was doing this [scoring] the whole game."

My steal of the #NFLDraft…. @CorleyMalachi #WesternKentucky #WesternKentuckyUniversity pic.twitter.com/CbYve9R0CJ
— Steve Smith Sr. (@SteveSmithSr89) February 14, 2024

Corley, a two-time first-team All-Conference USA selection, has been rising quickly on draft boards despite his 5-foot-11, 210-pound frame thanks to a strong showing during Senior Bowl week. Over the past two seasons, Corley has been one of the more productive receivers in college football, hauling in 180 passes for 2,277 yards and 22 touchdowns.

The 21-year-old truly shines after the catch, and he's even given himself the title of "YAC King." A self-proclaimed nickname might rub some the wrong way, but Corley has earned it. In 2022, he led the FBS in YAC (975, 292 more yards than the next-closest receiver) and ranked fifth among Division 1 wideouts in that category this past season (683).

NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah -- a former scout for the Baltimore Ravens, Cleveland Browns and Philadelphia Eagles -- rates Corley as his No. 11 wideout in this year's draft and the 50th-ranked player overall. With the hype Corley's receiving, he could find himself as a Day 2 selection come April.

As mentioned, Smith has made good judgments on several wide receiver prospects in the past, so his evaluation of Corley should be kept in mind.

Last offseason, Smith expressed doubts about Chargers wideout Quentin Johnston's NFL potential, and the first-round pick validated some of those concerns during a disappointing rookie season (38 receptions for 431 yards and two touchdowns). Smith's best assessment, however, came in 2017 when he dubbed future third-round pick and Super Bowl LVI MVP Cooper Kupp the top receiver in his class.

Each year, it seems an unheralded rookie wide receiver unexpectedly makes an impact. It's safe to assume that Corley won't top Rams wideout Puka Nacua's record-breaking 2023 rookie season, but NFL general managers should pay close attention to the Hilltopper during the pre-draft process.

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