2022 NFL mock draft: Texans pass on QB in QB-heavy predictions
2022 NFL mock draft: 16th pick
Ole Miss. Matt Corral. player. 45. Scouting Report. QB. Pick Analysis. 16
I recently did a piece on Matt Corral and it seems like a little bit of preseason steam is building for him.
Let’s start, though, by talking about this from the Denver Broncos‘ perspective.
Drew Lock did not perform to the level the Denver Broncos need him to in 2020. He turned the ball over way too much, his completion percentage was way too low, and his decision-making was generally suspect. With that being said, Lock’s season was a true rollercoaster ride.
The hype for the Denver Broncos going into last season was pretty huge considering all of the weapons they added to the offense. With no real offseason to speak of, chemistry in new offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur’s offense was virtually non-existent.
Lock was injured early in the season, as was wide receiver Courtland Sutton. Even though Lock returned shortly after his injury, Sutton missed the entire year and the Broncos struggled offensively.
Over the final five or six games of the season, it seemed the offense had hit somewhat of a stride. Lock showed improvements from what we’d seen early in the season, but will those carry over into 2021?
With Aaron Rodgers rumors still swirling, Teddy Bridgewater is in Denver to compete for Drew Lock’s job.
Picking 16th overall would mean that the Broncos missed the playoffs, and that either Lock or Bridgewater or both had something to do with it.
Missing the playoffs will likely result in people losing jobs in Denver, possibly head coach Vic Fangio and more likely than not the quarterback position would be overhauled.
Enter Matt Corral, who could be the 2022 NFL Draft version of Zach Wilson.
Corral made one big play after another last season for Ole Miss, an offense that loves to push the ball vertical, but he — like Drew Lock, maybe not to the same degree — needs to work on decision-making at times.
There’s huge upside there and just like with Zach Wilson, Corral could really break out this season and show that he’s ready for the NFL. That’s certainly a hefty if, but it’s definitely not impossible.
Even if this is projecting some, you can see how the Broncos would arrive at this decision if new GM George Paton does not acquire Aaron Rodgers.