The quarterback class in the 2022 NFL Draft is bound to be an interesting one despite being one of the less-heralded in recent years. Former Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral is one of the more intriguing quarterbacks available after being one of the most productive college quarterbacks in the country in 2021. But will that translate to the next level and help Corral become a franchise quarterback in the NFL?
College Career
Corral spent four seasons at Ole Miss after growing up in Southern California. As a true freshman, he saw action in just four games as the backup to Jordan Ta’amu. However, Corral won the starting job in 2019, playing 10 games with just six touchdown passes and a 59% completion percentage, as the Rebels finished 4-8.
But things turned around for Corral the following season when Lane Kiffin arrived. He started all 10 games of the shortened season, completing 71% of his passes and throwing for over 3,300 yards with 29 touchdown passes and 14 interceptions. Corral also rushed for over 500 yards and four touchdowns.
It was more of the same for Corral in 2021. His completion percentage dropped slightly and he threw for fewer yards in more games. But he threw 20 touchdown passes to just five interceptions while also rushing for over 600 yards and 11 touchdowns. More importantly, he led the Rebels to a 10-2 record and a spot in the Sugar Bowl. However, Corral suffered an ankle injury early in the Sugar Bowl, ending his college career on a sour note and leading some to question whether he should have played in the game at all given his NFL future.
Pros
During his four seasons at Ole Miss, Corral completed 67.3% of his passes for an average of 9.1 yards per pass. Those numbers back up the fact that Corral has great accuracy and can fit the ball into small windows, especially on short and intermediate passes. Meanwhile, as his rushing stats indicate, Corral can also be a little bit of a menace as a runner.
He can move around in the pocket when necessary and is a threat to tuck the ball and run if he sees open space. Corral is also someone who isn’t going to shy away from contact, which has its benefits but also can put him at risk for injury.
Cons
Due to the fact that he runs a lot, Corral could be looked at as an injury risk. He’s listed at 6’2’’ and a little over 200 pounds, so he’s not the biggest quarterback, especially for someone who can run with reckless abandon at times.
Corral also has some improvements to make as a passer if he’s going to succeed in the NFL. He doesn’t go through his progressions and make the smartest and safest throw possible. Also, Corral can sometimes put too much air on his deep balls, which is a recipe for disaster in the NFL.
Projection
While there are some questions about his ability to throw the deep ball, Corral’s overall accuracy and athleticism are surely intriguing to NFL teams. Corral has proven himself as a passer for a team to take a chance on him in the first round, hoping that he continues to round out as a passer. He probably doesn’t have the pure arm talent to become an elite NFL quarterback.
But he did win a lot of games at Ole Miss with a subpar defense. With the right cast around him and some development, he could be the type of quarterback who can take his team to the playoffs.