Depression and substance abuse cited as reasons for Matt Corral's fall in NFL Draft 2022

Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral at the 2022 NFL Combine
Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral at the 2022 NFL Combine

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.

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:

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"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."

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.

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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.

Do you think the quarterback's draft slide was justified? Let us know in the comments section below.


Also Checkout:-Matt Corral's Girlfriend

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