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.
2. Malik Willis probably shouldn’t start right away
From a traits perspective, it’s easy to see why so many scouts think highly of Willis’ future at the professional level. At 6-foot-1 and 215 pounds with elite arm talent and game-breaking speed, he’s everything you could want in a quarterback prospect for the modern day NFL.
Having said that, Saturday indicated Willis has a long ways to go before he’s ready to start in the league. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, though Washington would surely want whomever they draft to start from Day 1.
Let’s say he’s taken with a top-five pick. Do you really want a repeat of Zach Wilson’s start with the Jets? The No. 2 overall pick was nowhere near ready to start. Alas, he was thrown to the wolves and fans are now all aboard the Mike White bandwagon and questioning whether Wilson was the right pick.
That would be a disaster. Should Washington draft Willis, they should probably have a veteran in the QB room to mentor the Liberty star … kind of like how the 49ers held onto Jimmy Garoppolo until they hand the reins over to Trey Lance.
Lance is probably our best comparison for Willis. Like the 49ers signal-caller, Willis’ eye-popping athleticism and overall upside might see him taken within the first handful of selections.
However, that doesn’t mean he should be a Day 1 starter, because Saturday proved Willis has a lot of developing to do with regards to decision-making and reading opposing defenses.
1. Character and toughness won’t be an issue
This might not seem like a big deal, but character and toughness are two must-haves in franchise quarterbacks in today’s NFL. Take a look around the league and rattle off some of the best QBs. Patrick Mahomes, Russell Wilson, Josh Allen, Tom Brady and Matthew Stafford. We obviously omitted a couple names there, but you can’t have any questions about those superstar’s persona and backbone.
On Saturday, we learned that Corral and Willis have both attributes.
Corral, for starters, has 10 rushing touchdowns this season and continues to be heavily involved in the Rebels’ running game despite not being fully healthy. He was seen walking around the field with a clear limp, but he stayed in the game and delivered some crisp passes despite having to adjust his footwork.
Willis, meanwhile, loves himself some smash-mouth football. He rushed the ball 27 times (a game-high) against Ole Miss and finished with 71 yards and a touchdown. It wasn’t an efficient afternoon on the ground for Willis, but he was sacked nine times and popped right back up after taking some big hits.
The Rebels’ defense gave Willis fits, but he was as cool as a cucumber in the face of adversity, which lasted almost the entire game.
In sum, Corral and Willis taught us that they’re the kind of quarterbacks teammates will fight tooth and nail for. It might not show up in the box score or at the combine, but that’s a huge box to check and they passed with flying colors.