Dynasty Rookie Draft Targets: Devontez Walker, Malachi Corley, Jared Wiley, Theo Johnson (2024)

Both the NFL Draft and dynasty rookie drafts begin in Mobile, Ala., as the annual Reese’s Senior Bowl has kicked off. Here are some Senior Bowl participants work monitoring in upcoming dynasty rookie drafts.

Let’s break it down!

2024 Dynasty Rookie Draft Targets

Wide Receiver

Devontez Walker (North Carolina) | 6’2/200

Devontez Walker is a transfer from Kent State who missed the first month of the season due to an eligibility kerfuffle with the NCAA. A fifth-year player, he was out of football for two years before playing a collegiate snap, finally breaking out in 2022 with 58 receptions, 921 yards, 15.9 YPC and 11 touchdowns at KSU. After getting cleared, Walker played in eight games while serving as Drake Maye’s primary deep threat, with 35% of his targets occurring 20+ yards downfield, which is tied with Odunze for the highest deep target rate in the 2024 WR class (Baker is No. 1 at 35.3%).

Walker excels when stretching the field vertically on the outside, where he utilizes advanced ball tracking and tenacity at the catch point to outmuscle defenders so his late hands can pluck the ball out of the air downfield on sideline go-routes. However, beyond his big-guy, go-deep skill set, Walker’s game is incomplete. He frequently got undercut on his intermediate routes because his breaks were too rounded. He also only broke a paltry two tackles on 41 receptions, contributing to his uninspiring 2.8 yards after contact average. Throw in a pedestrian PFF receiving a grade of 68.3, and I’ve got some real concerns about Walker’s ability to be a complete receiver at the next level. I’m skeptical about the buzz he has been receiving and will be watching him intently.

Malachi Corley (Western Kentucky) | 5’10/210

A converted running back who is stoutly built at 5’10/210, what Malachi Corley lacks in route running savvy, he makes up for by bullying opponents into YAC yardage. His 5.5 ADOT is the lowest in the class, and his vibes are positively Rondale Moore-esque if you ask my FantasyPros colleague Derek Brown. And let’s face it, Corley is a YAC machine designed to gouge defenses with extended handoffs, as his 8.6 YAC this year (fourth in FBS) and 9.7 YAC (third) in 2022 will attest. His 19% broken tackle rate is on display on the various hitches/screens/slants schemed up in the air-raid system at Western Kentucky.

Peeling back the layers, though, there’s reason for concern with Corley’s NFL projection. He only secured 13-of-49 career contested targets for a pedestrian 26.5% contested catch rate. Also, 495 of his 985 receiving yards this year came against three opponents: Louisiana Tech, Sam Houston State and Troy. He lacks nuance in his breaks and seems like he’s running to a spot when asked to extend his route tree. Despite straight line speed, Corley’s feet tend to drag into more pronounced breaks. I have my doubts about Corley becoming an every-down, impactful fantasy performer, but he certainly has manufactured-touch potential.

Tight End

Jared Wiley (TCU) | 6’7/260

Jared Wiley spent his first three years at Texas as a sub-package tight end blocked in the pecking order by 2024 NFL Draft TE2, Ja’Tavion Sanders. He transferred over to TCU just in time for their magical 2022 National Championship game run, starting five games as the preferred inline tight end (87% of snaps inline), catching 24-of-29 targets for 246 yards and four touchdowns.

Wiley built on a promising 2022 by making an incredible one-handed diving touchdown reception in the season opener against Colorado. The giant but nimble TE emerged this year by catching 47-of-65 targets for 520 yards, and 72.3% catch rate and eight touchdowns while increasing his slot rate from 10.6%-to-32.4% and even logging 6.2% of his snaps out wide, showing the confidence head coach Sonny Dykes had for Wiley’s ability to win on the outside if called upon.

He earned a PFF receiving grade of 90.0 or more to all four levels this season, a rare feat for tight ends, and has a near-perfect 1.1% career drop rate. Given his size and very commendable pass-blocking record, where he hasn’t given up a sack or hit in the last four seasons – spanning 132 pass reps – Wiley has both the blocking and receiving chops to be in consideration for a lion’s share role if he can shine in Mobile.

Theo Johnson (Penn State) | 6’6/264

The Penn State tight end legacy is one to be respected, though paradoxically, the Penn State offense under the tutelage of now deposed OC Mike Yurcich was objectively NOT to be respected. Such was the quandary TE Theo Johnson found himself in this season, splitting time in 12 personnel alignments with fellow TE Tyler Warren while being saddled with Penn State’s plodding offense that ranked 129th in offensive explosiveness and 127th in completion rate of 20+ yards (11%).

While Johnson is athletic and sure-handed, he isn’t a natural when extending outside of his frame to make tough catches. Not a field stretcher, Johnson caught two-of-five downfield targets for a total of 46 yards with a middling 67.2 receiving grade. He excels in tight window situations, bringing in six-of-nine career contested targets (67% catch rate), and earning a rock solid 139.9 NFL passer rating when targeted over his career. The gravitas of the Nittany Lions TE position somehow resulted in Brenton Strange earning a late-second-round pick last season, so you have to keep tabs on a big, well-rounded tight end like Johnson as the Draft approaches.