Ole Miss entered the 2019 season with redshirt freshman Matt Corral as their starting quarterback. And although his job under center wasn't a full-time gig until the following year -- he started in only four games due to a rib injury and the school's two-QB system -- Corral played alongside receivers A.J. Brown, DK Metcalf, and Elijah Moore during his time with the program. Suffice to say, there was no shortage of NFL-caliber talent for Corral to connect with.
Sometime this week, Corral will join his former college teammates at the pro level, when his name is called during the NFL Draft. Although the 2022 class doesn't feature a clear consensus top-overall pick across the league boards, the 23-year-old has a chance to be the first Ole Miss quarterback selected in the opening round since Eli Manning, in 2004. Like any NFL prospect, Corral has been seeking advice from players, and his old wideouts offered insight.
"They've told me that nothing's really changed. At the end of the day, it's still going to be football," Corral told the Maggie and Perloff show on Wednesday. "I think a lot of kids, when they're going through this process, they overthink it, like I was. I was overthinking it, was reaching out to anyone and everyone that I knew who was in the NFL on what to expect. Just tying to get as much information as I can.
"But, they've definitely helped me navigate. And they've all told me to just be myself when I'm going through this process. And I think that's the best advice anyone can get. You're going to end up where you end up... The highlight has been this entire process. Definitely not been what I expected -- but in a good way. It's definitely a blessing to be here, being in this position to talk to you."
Corral, who's listed at 6-foot-2 and 212 pounds, is currently the fifth-ranked passer and 53rd overall prospect on the Pro Football Focus big board. He's coming off a strong season with the Rebels, as he racked up a career-high 3,349 passing yards with 20 touchdowns and just five interceptions across their 13 games. Corral also showcased his dual-threat abilities, rushing for a total of 614 yards on 152 attempts with 11 scores on the ground.
With stellar contributions from Corral, Ole Miss (10-3) finished second in the SEC West, ranked as high as No. 8 in the AP poll, and received a Sugar Bowl matchup against Baylor. Unfortunately for Corral, he only played one quarter, as he suffered a high ankle sprain and was carted off the field. Corral's x-rays came back negative, and although he didn't participate in NFL Combine drills in early March, he threw for teams at Ole Miss' pro day a few weeks later.
The entire NFL Draft conversation between Corral and Maggie and Perloff can be accessed in the audio player above.
You can follow the Maggie and Perloff Show on Twitter @MaggieandPerl and Tom Hanslin @TomHanslin.