The Carolina Panthers are in a bad way at the quarterback position. Is Ole Miss’ Matt Corral the answer in the 2022 NFL Draft?
The Carolina Panthers have found themselves in quarterback purgatory. Last offseason they took a gamble on former first-round quarterback Sam Darnold. They doubled down on this gamble when they chose to pick up his 5th-year option for the upcoming season. By picking up his option, the Panthers will owe Darnold nearly $19 million in 2022.
The play of the quarterbacks in Carolina this past season left much to be desired. While Darnold was brought in to be the starter, when he went down with an injury, the Panthers brought back veteran quarterback Cam Newton. Upon the return of Darnold, both quarterbacks played. This split QB room proved to be ineffective.
The two quarterbacks finished the 2021 season with a stat sheet that left much to be desired. The pair combined for 13 passing touchdowns, six rushing touchdowns, 18 interceptions, and 13 fumbles. They also had 3211 passing yards and 452 rushing yards.
But could their poor play lead to the Panthers not drafting a quarterback with the sixth overall pick? Many believe that having Darnold on the roster should not impact whether the Panthers select a quarterback in the first round.
There are several potential options in this year’s quarterback class. Pitt’s Kenny Pickett, Cincinnati’s Desmond Ridder, and Liberty’s Malik Willis could all be options for this team. But no prospect could be as intriguing as Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral.
Matt Corral is out here trucking players 😳 @OleMissFB pic.twitter.com/SjQnx0UCAw
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) October 9, 2021
After a 2020 season that showed what Corral was capable of at Ole Miss, he followed it up with a true breakout in 2021. He finished his final collegiate season with 31 total touchdowns, with 20 coming through the air and another 11 on the ground. More importantly, he threw just five interceptions, a large improvement from the 14 that he threw in 2020.
What makes Corral a fit for Carolina Panthers
Corral has above-average arm talent and the ability to make plays with his legs. These are two areas that the Panthers have seemed to be looking for in a quarterback for some time now. While they attempted to use both Darnold and Newton in different situations this past season, having a quarterback like Corral would eliminate the need to do this.
The areas that Corral excels in would also elevate this offense as a whole. Ole Miss had a quick and up-tempo offense that was always trying to push the ball down the field. Current Panthers head coach Matt Rhule is known to have a strong offensive mind. He has also made it clear that he would like for this Panthers offense to move quickly.
With skill players such as Christian McCaffrey and DJ Moore paired alongside Corral, Rhule could attempt to open his playbook up and do things similar to how he ran the offense at Baylor. The versatility of Corral could make this even easier. The big play capability would always be there and more opportunities would be there for this offense.
The threat of having Corral make plays on the ground could be the biggest benefit of adding him to this offense. The threat of McCaffrey on this offense already impacts defenses. Having to deal with a proven mobile quarterback would also be an issue for opposing teams.
MATT CORRAL. SPIN MOVE 🌪 pic.twitter.com/lOUwwsbcr1
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) November 26, 2021
The ball security and accuracy that Corral would bring would also be an upgrade to this offense. As noted, Corral threw just five interceptions this past season. He also has proven how accurate he can be when throwing the deep ball.
Corral’s ability to push the ball down the field paired with both DJ Moore and Robby Anderson’s speed could allow this offense to be one of the more explosive units in the NFL.
If the Carolina Panthers still have uncertainties about the quarterback position for their long-term future, Corral could be an intriguing option for this team.