Projected to be one of the first quarterbacks taken in the 2022 NFL Draft, Matt Corral is one of this year’s biggest storylines. After Kirk Herbstreit and Desmond Howard criticized players for opting out of bowl games on ESPN’s College Gameday, Matt Corral suffered a lower leg injury in the Sugar Bowl. While it’s just an ankle sprain, we explore whether or not Matt Corral has seen his NFL draft stock drop following the injury. Take a look below at his scouting report as we dive into his strengths, weaknesses, and fit in the NFL.
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Matt Corral 40 Time
Matt Corral should clock in with a 40 time of 4.65 at the 2022 NFL Draft. Corral is a tremendous dual-threat quarterback. Furthermore, he is more than capable of extending plays with his legs, as well as his arm. NFL scouts should have no issues with Matt Corral’s athleticism. In fact, I believe that it adds to his abilities, rather than subtracts.
Matt Corral Injury History
Obviously, injuries are one of the biggest topics surrounding Matt Corral. Fortunately, the X-rays came back negative and it is reportedly just an ankle sprain. First off, he’s incredibly lucky that it wasn’t as serious as it could have been. However, it just goes to show why NFL Draft prospects are opting out of bowl games. With that being said, Matt Corral should get a green light during the medical evaluation process at the 2022 NFL Combine.
Matt Corral Scouting Report
Pros
- One Of The Top Arm Talents In This Draft Class
- Added Mobility In The Running Game
- Makes Sound Decisions When Throwing The Ball
Cons
- Will Need To Adjust To The Pro Game
- Lacks The Height That Most Quarterbacks Possess
- Will Need To Refine Footwork And Mechanics
Matt Corral is a three-year starter for the Ole Miss Rebels. He had a phenomenal season in 2021, throwing for over 3,000 yards and 21 touchdowns. At 6’1, Corral has adequate height for the position. His predicted 40 time of 4.65 is good when compared to the league average for the position.
On film, Corral often displays good athletic ability. However, don’t confuse him for a scrambling quarterback. Regardless, he has good juice and is used often in the run game. However, he doesn’t choose to scramble often and it is clearly more comfortable in the pocket. In addition to this, his arm is very good. Capable of throwing 50+ yards with relative ease, defenses must respect his ability to take the top off. This carries over to his velocity as well. Corral is able to get the ball from sideline to sideline with ease. As a result, he’s more than willing to test smaller windows. He also does a good job of handling pressure when faced with it. The biggest progression Corral has made so far is his ability to take care of the football. As mentioned, he had just four interceptions in 2021 compared to 14 in 2020.
By far the biggest concern for Matt Corral in the NFL will be his ability to operate an NFL passing offense. Truly, whatever team selects him in the 2022 NFL Draft will have to tailor their offense sound where he succeeds, at least early on. At Ole Miss, he ran a very heavy dose of RPO’s which limited him to half-field reads and lay-up style passes. While RPO’s are certainly run in the NFL, he will have to engineer a true NFL passing offense at times as well.
In correlation with the RPO-heavy offense, Corral has some minor footwork issues to clean up due to limited snaps where he took a drop. This should be remedied relatively easily, however. As mentioned, he is also just over six feet tall if not a tad shorter so he will be one of the smaller NFL quarterbacks. While it may hinder him at times we have seen sub-6’0” QB’s have success as long as the play-caller is willing to work with them.
Matt Corral NFL Draft Projection
Matt Corral is a tremendously talented QB prospect. He can make nearly any and every throw possible on the football field and is, by all accounts, a tremendous leader. These traits will obviously make him a very coveted player come April. However, I worry that the learning curve he faces as he adjusts to NFL offenses will be too steep for him to overcome. Not only will he have to adjust to the speed and complexity of the game at the pro level, but he also needs to adjust much of how he plays the position. As such, I currently have him with a second-round grade as he enters the 2022 NFL Draft.
While I believe he is very talented, he will need time to develop and learn. His landing spot will be paramount to his success and I would like to see him go to a team such as Tampa Bay or Minnesota. If the Seahawks elect to move on from Russell Wilson it could be an exciting landing spot as well.
