Carolina Panthers incoming rookie Matt Corral is looking to prove his doubters wrong as he heads into Year 1.
Projected by many as a possible first-round pick, Corral fell down draft boards all the way to the Panthers at No. 94 overall.
The former Ole Miss star says his Draft Day slide made the chip on his shoulder even bigger than before.
“I mean, I had a chip on my shoulder before. But it just got even bigger,” Corral said Friday during Carolina’s rookie minicamp, per NFL.com. “(Draft night) was for sure, a roller coaster. It was a bunch of mixed emotions. When I got that phone call, I have truly never been happy and sad at the same time. I’ve never felt that before.”
Through four years at Ole Miss, Corral solidified himself as one of the top dual-threat QBs in the country. In 2021, the senior signal caller logged 3,349 yards and 20 touchdowns through the air, and 614 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground.
Questions about his character and maturity may have contributed to his draft slide.
“Truthfully, I don’t know where that came from,” Corral said. “It’s just one of those things that got out there. That was honestly the first time I heard that. That’s nothing I can control. I got picked up. I’m here with an opportunity, and that’s all I can ask for.”
As of right now, Corral is expected to start the season behind returning starter Sam Darnold.
“If I know the playbook, I’m going to be ready to play,” Corral said. “As far as getting ready to be a starter, of course, my mentality is to be a starter. But right now, I’m trying to get on that 53-man roster.”
Leave a Reply