Background
Matt Corral is a quarterback prospect in the 2022 NFL Draft. He played for the University of Mississippi from 2018 to 2021. From California, he committed to Southern California originally, but wound up at Ole Miss. He was a top 100 recruit in 2018, and the sixth highest rated pocket passer in his class. What does the Scouting report say about Matt Corral and his prospects at the next level?
Corral took a redshirt year to begin his college career, starting just four games the following year. The flashes of what he would become were there, however. Despite a limited starting role, he finished as the team’s leader in passing yards and passing touchdowns.
In 2020, Corral’s career took off. In his first season as the full-time starter, he threw for over 3,000 yards and nearly 30 touchdowns, finishing at the top of the lists for several awards and garnering attention.
Corral’s 2021 season was also strong. He once again passed for another 3,000 yards, though the touchdowns dropped to 20. He also drastically cut down on bad throws, dropping his interception total from 14 the previous year to just five in 2021. Once again, he was a finalist for several awards, and after his season ended, he announced his entry into the NFL Draft.
Stats
Career Stats: 37 GP, 67.3% comp rate, 8,281 yards passing, 57 TDs, 23 INTs, 1,338 yards rushing, 18 rushing TDs
2021 Stats: 13 GP, 67.7% comp rate, 3,343 yards passing, 20 TDs, 5 INTs, 614 yards rushing, 11 rushing TDs
Matt Corral Scouting Report
Strengths
- Strong-armed and capable of getting the ball down the field or into tight windows.
- Throws with accuracy and anticipation, especially on short dropbacks for slants or other quick throws.
- Has shown an accurate deep ball when he’s able to set his feet and keep his mechanics straight.
- He’s a good runner with the football when necessary, and can extend drives with his legs.
- Elusive inside the pocket and buys himself extra time to throw.
- Has confidence in his arm and isn’t afraid to make any throw.
Weaknesses
- Sometimes a little quick to abandon the pocket and speeds up his processing unnecessarily.
- Pressure can throw his footwork off, causing poor throws that either sail too high or get intercepted.
- Accuracy is reduced exponentially when he’s forced to throw off-platform.
- Sometimes lacks the ability to put the right amount of touch on the ball, resulting in overthrows.
Summary
There are certainly some intriguing parts to Matt Corral’s game. His arm is NFL quality and he has the kind of confidence that coaches love. The ability he brings to extend plays and drives is a necessity in today’s game.
There are some big concerns though. NFL pass rushers are going to force him to throw on the run, and he struggled with his accuracy in those circumstances. A good coach will work on his mechanics and footwork under pressure, but he might not be ready to play in year one.
Corral will need to go to a team with a quality quarterbacks coach and a staff willing to invest some time in letting him develop. Positional value will move him up boards, and his ceiling is high, but he has a low floor as well.
Grade: 7.5/10 (second round)
