It looked like a scene out of the movie “Draft Day.”
A behind-the-scenes video released by the Jets on Wednesday showed general manager Joe Douglas furiously working the phones to try to move up during the 2024 NFL Draft to land wide receiver Malachi Corley.
In the end, Douglas did just that, but as the video showed, it wasn’t easy.
In a clip of dramatic moments, Douglas is seen making offers to several teams, including at one point the Bills.
“If it comes to it Buffalo is looking to get up from 60,” someone in the Jets’ war room says to Douglas.
“They’re looking to get out? OK,” Douglas said.
It then cuts to Douglas on the phone with another team – presumably the Bills – asking if they’re looking to do a trade.
“We’re at pick 72,” he said in the clip. “Too far.”
“People don’t want to move back to 72,” Douglas later said.
The high drama continued until the Panthers got on the phone with the Jets and the two sides were able to hammer out a deal.
“We’re going to do it,” Jets owner Woody Johnson asks at one point to Douglas.
“Yep,” he replied.
The excitement was quite clear on the faces of the Jets front office and coaching staff over landing Corley, with that even extending to future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Corley, who has gotten some comparisons to 49ers star Deebo Samuel, set a Western Kentucky school record with 259 career receptions for 3,035 yards — second in Hilltoppers history — and 29 touchdowns, good for third in the WKU record books.
In a separate video posted by the Jets, it showed Douglas on the phone with Corley excitedly welcoming him to the organization.
“Dawg, I am so freakin excited,” Douglas said to Corley. “I can’t wait to see you hunting DBs with the ball in your hands, oh my god. You represent everything we are all about. Toughness, violence, anger. I can’t tell you how excited I am big dawg.”
