Washington Football Team: 3 takeaways from Matt Corral-Malik Willis weekend showdown
By Jerry Trotta
The Washington Football Team is going to have a new quarterback in 2022.
The only question is how that QB will make his way to Ashburn. Will he come via free agency, a blockbuster trade, or next year’s draft? These are questions Ron Rivera and the front office must have answered by March.
At this very moment, it’s impossible to predict what avenue they’ll choose. For the sake of time, though, let’s keep this conversation focused on a pair of highly-touted prospects in the 2022 class: Matt Corral and Malik Willis.
The two promising quarterbacks went head-to-head in Oxford on Saturday, as Corral and Ole Miss defeated Willis and Liberty pretty handily, fending off the Flames to the tune of a 27-14 victory.
Given that Corral and Willis are potential high first-round picks, this was one of the most highly anticipated games of the weekend.
There were high-ranking scouts and executives from several teams in attendance, including Washington GM Martin Mayhew, who was one of just two general managers that made the trip.
Given that Washington could easily wind up with one of these two QBs, let’s highlight some key takeaways from the game.
3 takeaways from Matt Corral vs Malik Willis showdown
3. Matt Corral solidified himself as QB1 … for now
That’s right, folks. If the draft was next week, Matt Corral would likely be the first quarterback off the board. That, of course, is assuming guys like Kenny Pickett, Sam Howell, Carson Strong and Desmond Ridder aren’t ahead of them.
Corral hasn’t shown linear improvement this year, but the overall leap he’s taken has been more seismic than any QB in the 2022 class. He showed that on Saturday by going 20-of-27 for 324 yards and a TD.
An ankle injury prevented him from making an impact with his legs but it was still a convincing performance from the Ole Miss standout.
The most noteworthy stride Corral has taken this season? He’s A LOT more responsible with the football. In 10 games last season, he tossed 14 interceptions, good for the second-most of any quarterback in the country.
This year, Corral has just two INTs on his resume, tied for the fewest amongst QBs that have attempted at least 200 passes. That’s a radical change and should have him as the consensus top-ranked (QB) prospect amongst experts.
Corral’s been trending in that direction all season, and the manner in which he outperformed Willis on Saturday just confirmed it. Assuming he doesn’t have any major slip-ups between now and the end of the campaign, he should be the first QB taken in April.