Is Ole Miss' Matt Corral A Sleeper QB Washington Football Team Should Be Watching?
Matt Corral out of Ole Miss might be the biggest riser come this offseason. The Washington Football Team will be run in part by QB Ryan Fitzpatrick in 2021, but he's not the future. No 38-year-old journeyman can be counted on long-term. Meanwhile, coach Ron Rivera and company must at some point see what Taylor Heinicke can do for the future. One game wasn't enough to name him the "next" Kurt Warner, but it was enough to allow him to fight for a shot at the starting role come 2022. And if he can't be the guy, drafting the future QB must be a priority. Each year, a quarterback goes from middling pick to can't-miss gem. The Jets found theirs with BYU standout Zach Wilson. The year before, Joe Burrow was fresh off a national championship at LSU when selected by the Bengals. Josh Allen went from Wyoming nobody to Bills Mafia hero. This season, ahead of the 2022 NFL Draft, Washington might need to take a hard look at Ole Miss' Matt Corral when evaluating quarterbacks. READ MORE: Vernon Davis Plans His Path To Hollywood  Dane Brugler of The Athletic released his early summer evaluations on quarterbacks of the 2022 draft class. Naturally, North Carolina's Sam Howell and Oklahoma's Spencer Rattler came in at No. 1 and No. 2, respectively. For No. Corral cemented himself in the running for biggest riser. "Yes, it is somewhat broad, but Corral plays with a distinguishable smoothness that makes him very intriguing as a quarterback prospect," Brugler wrote. "He plays the position with the tools of a shortstop  quick eyes, agile feet, rapid release. Corral has slightly above-average arm strength to drive the ball or deliver with touch and doesnt allow small windows to intimidate him. He is the opposite of a stagnant player and his mobility is a key part of his skill set." Washington fans can get behind that. With a change of coaching in Oxford, Corral flourished in Lane Kiffin's more quick-hit style of play. The California native split reps with dual-threat runner John-Rhys Plumlee in 2019 but took over full-time last year. READ MORE: The 5: WFT's Most Important Games  There's no denying who was the better the player as Corral destroyed defenses every given Saturday in an all-SEC schedule. He finished the year with 3,337 passing yards and 29 touchdowns against 14 interceptions. In seven games, Corral surpassed 300 passing yards on the day, two of which were over 400 yards through the air. As for his interceptions, take away two bad games and he only three on the campaign. Brugler credited the Rebels quarterback for his natural ability to connect downfield on accurate passes. Outside of three games, he averaged a completion rating of 77.4 percent. There's room for improvement, especially in decision-making. Corral doesn't often falter, but once he makes one mistake, the progression is rushed, leading to more turnovers and out of reach passes. Corral only finished with three games in which he was credited with a turnover. In all three, he suffered multiple ones. "Those turnovers were often a result in his inconsistent decision-making, forcing throws that simply were not there," Brugler wrote. "Corral can get away with some of his Mahomes like theatrics with the way he scrambles and adjust his throwing angles but he needs to cut down on the low percentage attempts." It's still too soon to say if Washington will be picking high enough for a starting-caliber quarterback. Corral could regress, thus hurting his draft stock and making the hype nothing more than just thought of what could have been. His overall game, though, is what the NFL likes, with more play-action throws and consistent connections downfield. WFT has speed with Curtis Samuel in the slot and rookie Dyami Brown on the outside. They also have stability with Terry McLaurin as a proven No. 1 weapon. Washington has a top-five defense and an overall offense that could be top 10. Quarterback is the only question mark on the roster entering 2021 and beyond. A strong season from Corral could prove he's the future needed in Washington for years to come.