Depression and substance abuse cited as reasons for Matt Corral's fall in NFL Draft 2022
The fall of Matt Corral in the 2022 NFL Draft was certainly unexpected. The quarterback from Ole Miss was being touted by many as being among the top three quarterbacks in the draft class.
Thus, seeing him drop all the way to No. 94 in the draft took many by surprise. Eventually, it was the Carolina Panthers who decided to take a chance on the 23-year-old quarterback.
My reaction to the Carolina Panthers taking Matt Corral…
WHY NOT?!?!! Ton of upside. Great feet and eyes in the pocket. Cut down the turnovers in bunches issue from 2020 and his teammates will run through a wall for him. He is a rebel ready to start a revolution.
#NFLDraft
While there are many upsides to drafting Corral, it's apparently his issues off it which eventually led to his dramatic slide on draft night as well. As per NFL insider Ian Rapaport, the player's reputation off the field led to him facing the cold shoulder:
"He dealt with a multitude of issues including alcohol and related issues. He admitted publicly to battling depression. He has had ‘unreliable behavior’ off the field and he really, really struggled in some interviews with teams."
But in the end, his talent shone through. The quarterback, who threw for 3,349 yards and 20 touchdowns while rushing for 11 himself last season, was one of the quarterbacks to look out for in the draft. Something that Rapoport echoed:
"That said, the talent is enough to make the Carolina Panthers take its shot with Corral."
From our NFL Draft coverage: The #Panthers traded back into the third round and took #OleMiss QB Matt Corral. They viewed his film as the best of all the QBs. But there was a lot more to sort through. https://t.co/GfJdA3z3Zg
Matt Corral's future in the NFL with Carolina Panthers
Matt Corral stands at 6’1” and weighing 210 pounds, the quarterback has the physical attributes needed to make it as a dual-threat quarterback. At Ole Miss, he thrived on RPOs where he took advantage of the ultra-quick release.
Something apparent as soon as one watches him are his quick feet and release. His variation of play could certainly go alongside well with Panthers star running back Christian McCaffrey.
His selection will also impact the future of Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield. The former Sooners player who was the first overall pick back in the 2018 draft, has publicly asked for a trade since his franchise's acquisition of Deshaun Watson. Goes to show how quickly fortunes can turn in the NFL.
With Sam Darnold already on the roster, the Panthers will likely bench the rookie for the early part of his debut campaign. Darnold's future too has been brought under the scanner this offseason as any slip-up could see the Ole Miss star take over the starting role.
Matt Coral has an ARM tho 👀 https://t.co/lkJCtgXlGQ
Do you think the quarterback's draft slide was justified? Let us know in the comments section below.
Also Checkout:-Matt Corral's Girlfriend