Ole Miss held its pro day on Wednesday, and quarterback Matt Corral was the focus of the afternoon. Corral is among the quarterback prospects most often mentioned as being a potential first-round pick. However, he suffered an ankle injury during the Sugar Bowl against Baylor, and teams had not seen him since.
The California native took to the field Wednesday to show that his ankle is fully recovered. Corral displayed great mobility during his pre-scripted throwing session. It was a good opportunity for him to perform for teams because he had been unable to compete at the Reese’s Senior Bowl and NFL Scouting Combine like his peers.
Otherwise, there was little to glean from the event other than the lasting images of Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin smiling, as he had done a day earlier at Liberty while watching Malik Willis. Teams want to see how players respond to the pressure and interact with everyone around them. If he makes a bad throw, how does he respond?
The reality is that quarterback pro days offer little in terms of useful information. There is zero threat of the player getting pummeled into the turf by a 300-pound defensive lineman, and there is one wide receiver running a route in a climate controlled building. There are no pads and no way to simulate a game-on-the-line, gotta-have-it situation that compares to experiencing it live. Teams will rely on the tape for those evaluations.
Teams will meet with Corral after the dog and pony show is over and get to know him better personally. Is his demeanor the same as what they had seen at the NFL combine and any other exposure they have had to him?
Corral joined CBS Sports’ Pick Six podcast earlier this year to discuss a number of topics, including his belief that he is the top quarterback prospect in the 2022 NFL Draft.
“Absolutely. I think where I separate myself is my work ethic and my ability to dissect the X’s and O’s part of the game. (Offensive coordinator Jeff) Lebby and (head coach Lane) Kiffin did a great job of that. I have talked to a lot of guys that have been in the same position. I am not necessarily content with where I am, but I am in a good spot.”
The next stage of the process will be taking top 30 visits to interested teams. He will have an opportunity to explore the clubs that are interested in him, just as they will be trying to answer any remaining questions of him.
Corral is currently the No. 22 ranked prospect overall, according to CBS Sports, and the top-ranked quarterback prospect.
The 2022 NFL Draft is scheduled to take place April 28-30 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
