noticed that Corral was either a Top 3 QB for the upcoming draft per ESPN
Matt Corral, Ole Miss
Year: Fourth-year junior | Age: 23 | Career starts: 26
Height: 6-foot-2 | Weight: 205 pounds
2021 stats: 3,339 passing yards, 68.4% completion rate, 20 touchdown passes, 4 interceptions in 12 games
Rankings: Kiper's QB3 (No. 23 overall) | McShay's QB2 (No. 17)
California is known for producing big-time quarterbacks, and Corral is one of several who went to high school there to start for college programs this season, including Bryce Young (Alabama), C.J. Stroud (Ohio State) and D.J. Uiagalelei (Clemson). The Ventura native and former four-star recruit was one of the most highly decorated throwers in state history. He threw for more than 11,000 yards and 123 TDs, spending three years at Oaks Christian before transferring and finishing his career at Long Beach Poly.
Corral, who committed to both USC and Florida before signing with Ole Miss, redshirted in 2018 and then started four games in 2019, seesawing back and forth with John Rhys Plumlee while throwing six touchdowns and three picks. The Rebels finished 4-8, which ushered in a new coaching staff led by Lane Kiffin.
The partnership with Kiffin led to Corral taking over as the full-time starter. Starting all 10 games in 2020, he had 3,337 passing yards and 29 touchdowns, but his biggest issue was turnovers. Eleven of his 14 interceptions that season came in two games; he threw six against Arkansas and five against LSU.
Now in his second season in Kiffin's up-tempo system, Corral has settled in and transformed into a more comfortable player. In a scheme that requires a quick processor and decision-maker, his strengths aligned perfectly with the run-pass-option-centric playbook.
Get ready for Baylor and Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl
Baylor, coming off a Big 12 championship, storms into the Allstate Sugar Bowl against the Ole Miss Rebels and talented QB Matt Corral.
Even though Corral's passing touchdowns declined from 29 in 2020 to 20 this season, he eliminated the turnovers significantly. He threw just four picks, proving to be in much better control of his decision-making. He's a quick and gifted quarterback who has little wasted movement in his game. With active feet and an electric arm, he has the attributes necessary to thrive in a quick-oriented offense.
"Fast" is the word that kept coming up when talking about Corral to an area scout. "If I ran an up-tempo system that's centered around taking advantage of the middle of the field, he'd easily be my top QB," the area scout told me.
Corral is a sudden athlete who can be a plus-one in the running game. He can have runs designed for him in order to place extra stress on defenses by making them account for the quarterback. An adjustment for him on the next level will be post-snap responsibilities. Being in an offense that involves a lot of "this-or-that" throws, he hasn't had a lot of exposure to exhausting multistep progressions. An undersized but competitive runner, he has shown that he will do whatever it takes to tough out victories, as seen during a hard-fought win against Tennessee when he finished with 30 carries for 195 yards.
Scouts love to see Corral's competitive nature, but he also will need to learn how to protect himself in the open field. He frequently dips his shoulder and launches himself head-first into oncoming tacklers, and that could affect durability.
Corral, who led Ole Miss to its first 10-win regular season in program history, has the charisma and competitive drive that is infectious across an entire locker room.
What's next: Corral announced in November that he's entering the draft, but he has one final game as the Rebels will take on Baylor in the Allstate Sugar Bowl (Saturday, 8:45 p.m. ET, ESPN). The Big 12 champs will be a great test for the improved Corral, who's in the running to be a top-15 pick and potentially the top quarterback off the board. Because he hasn't yet graduated from Ole Miss, Corral isn't eligible to participate in the Senior Bowl.
Matt Corral, Ole Miss
Year: Fourth-year junior | Age: 23 | Career starts: 26
Height: 6-foot-2 | Weight: 205 pounds
2021 stats: 3,339 passing yards, 68.4% completion rate, 20 touchdown passes, 4 interceptions in 12 games
Rankings: Kiper's QB3 (No. 23 overall) | McShay's QB2 (No. 17)
California is known for producing big-time quarterbacks, and Corral is one of several who went to high school there to start for college programs this season, including Bryce Young (Alabama), C.J. Stroud (Ohio State) and D.J. Uiagalelei (Clemson). The Ventura native and former four-star recruit was one of the most highly decorated throwers in state history. He threw for more than 11,000 yards and 123 TDs, spending three years at Oaks Christian before transferring and finishing his career at Long Beach Poly.
Corral, who committed to both USC and Florida before signing with Ole Miss, redshirted in 2018 and then started four games in 2019, seesawing back and forth with John Rhys Plumlee while throwing six touchdowns and three picks. The Rebels finished 4-8, which ushered in a new coaching staff led by Lane Kiffin.
The partnership with Kiffin led to Corral taking over as the full-time starter. Starting all 10 games in 2020, he had 3,337 passing yards and 29 touchdowns, but his biggest issue was turnovers. Eleven of his 14 interceptions that season came in two games; he threw six against Arkansas and five against LSU.
Now in his second season in Kiffin's up-tempo system, Corral has settled in and transformed into a more comfortable player. In a scheme that requires a quick processor and decision-maker, his strengths aligned perfectly with the run-pass-option-centric playbook.
Get ready for Baylor and Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl
Baylor, coming off a Big 12 championship, storms into the Allstate Sugar Bowl against the Ole Miss Rebels and talented QB Matt Corral.
Even though Corral's passing touchdowns declined from 29 in 2020 to 20 this season, he eliminated the turnovers significantly. He threw just four picks, proving to be in much better control of his decision-making. He's a quick and gifted quarterback who has little wasted movement in his game. With active feet and an electric arm, he has the attributes necessary to thrive in a quick-oriented offense.
"Fast" is the word that kept coming up when talking about Corral to an area scout. "If I ran an up-tempo system that's centered around taking advantage of the middle of the field, he'd easily be my top QB," the area scout told me.
Corral is a sudden athlete who can be a plus-one in the running game. He can have runs designed for him in order to place extra stress on defenses by making them account for the quarterback. An adjustment for him on the next level will be post-snap responsibilities. Being in an offense that involves a lot of "this-or-that" throws, he hasn't had a lot of exposure to exhausting multistep progressions. An undersized but competitive runner, he has shown that he will do whatever it takes to tough out victories, as seen during a hard-fought win against Tennessee when he finished with 30 carries for 195 yards.
Scouts love to see Corral's competitive nature, but he also will need to learn how to protect himself in the open field. He frequently dips his shoulder and launches himself head-first into oncoming tacklers, and that could affect durability.
Corral, who led Ole Miss to its first 10-win regular season in program history, has the charisma and competitive drive that is infectious across an entire locker room.
What's next: Corral announced in November that he's entering the draft, but he has one final game as the Rebels will take on Baylor in the Allstate Sugar Bowl (Saturday, 8:45 p.m. ET, ESPN). The Big 12 champs will be a great test for the improved Corral, who's in the running to be a top-15 pick and potentially the top quarterback off the board. Because he hasn't yet graduated from Ole Miss, Corral isn't eligible to participate in the Senior Bowl.
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