Western Kentucky star wide receiver Malachi Corley made it official Tuesday by announcing his intention to forgo his remaining college eligibility and declare for the upcoming NFL draft.

“Throughout the past 3.5 years I’ve received nothing but love, support and admiration from Western Kentucky at the city of Bowling Green,” Corley wrote on his X (formerly Twitter) social media account. “This fan base this school, this program, and this community have embraced me and wrapped their arms around me, and I thank the Lord for placing me here and I am eternally grateful because there is truly no greater feeling than being a Hilltopper! I would like to thank my friends, family and everyone who never had a shadow of a doubt that this would be my reality.

“The 2 star kid from ‘middle of nowhere Campbellsville, Kentucky, had one dream. One goal. Throughout the trials and tribulations, throughout the records and humiliations … one thing has remained certain … that my goal was to play in the NFL.

“So with a heavy heart, I say I am pursuing the NFL draft.”

Corley, a 5-foot-11, 210-pound junior who played at Campbellsville High School led Conference USA with 11 touchdown receptions in 12 games played this season for the Hilltoppers, who finished with an 8-5 overall record and 5-3 mark in CUSA play. Corley finished the year with 984 yards and 11 touchdowns on 79 receptions.

A first-team All-CUSA selection this season, he’s one of two players to record over 200 receiving yards in a single game this season – he had 207 at Louisiana Tech – and is the only player in the league to record three touchdown receptions in a single game this season, also doing so in Ruston, La. Corley had three 100-yard receiving games this fall.

In WKU’s 41-28 win at FIU in the regular-season finale, Corley broke the WKU program record for career receptions, and now has 259 catches. He also ranks second in WKU history in touchdown receptions with 29 and third in receiving yards with 3,033.

As a sophomore in 2022, Corley started all 14 games and tallied 101 catches for 1,295 yards and 11 touchdowns for the most dynamic receiving season by a sophomore in WKU football history. Corley was also among the nation’s elite receivers for the year, ranking fourth in the nation in receiving yards and seventh in receiving touchdowns.

His 101 catches were also the fourth-most in college football. Corley was also the best receiver in the country with the ball in his hands, ranking first in the nation in yards after catch with 975 and first in the country in missed tackles forced with 40.

In his second freshman season in 2021 (due to COVID-19 added eligibility by the NCAA), Corley appeared in all 14 games during WKU’s run to a C-USA East Division Championship and made five starts along the way. The freshman collected 73 catches on the year, third most for a record-setting Hilltopper offense. His 73 catches resulted in 691 yards and seven touchdowns.