Matt Corral observations/scouting

Spin Doctor

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So, i've decided to go over this guys footage since Seattle keeps being linked to this guy. I've watched about 7 games worth of footage, i'm just a random schmuck online so take everything I say with a heaping grain of salt.

The first thing that jumped out to me about Corral is the offense he plays in. Definitely far away from the NFL. I don't think I've ever seen a QB run more play action than Matt Corral and numbers back that up. No other QB ran as much play action in college. He primarily worked out of a read option. They used a lot of motion and sweeps to get people off guard. Corral was generally only asked to make one read, if he didn't like that read his job was to take off. He primarily threw slants, drag routes over the middle and post. In the NFL he's going to have to make some adjustments transfering from Lane Kiffin's scheme.

Corral doesn't look like a prototypical Pete QB to me. Corral is certainly athletic, very mobile, and has a deceptively strong arm, but he doesn't play like other QB's that we've traditionally been linked to. Corral looks and plays like a traditional WCO QB. He's a rhythm passer that excels at the short and intermediate passing game (10-20 yards). One thing that stood out to me about Corral's game is he throws with anticipation. I don't see a lot of college level QB's doing this at his level. He'll throw to where his receivers are going to be and he has insanely good ball placement on the short to intermediate routes. In addition to this, he doesn't stare his receivers down. Corral is really good at using his pump fake and his eyes to fake out defenders. In these regards, Carral is quite sophisticated for a college QB.

Now, there is a reason why i don't think he looks like a Pete QB, and that reason is his deep ball. Corral's deep ball is extremely inconsistent. I've seen him make Russell Wilson like throws, but I've also seen him over throw wide open guys by 10+ yards down the field. His deep ball accuracy and ball placement is all over the place. He has the arm to make all of the big time throws, he's just not very good at it. He left a lot of opportunities on the field in college because of his deep ball accuracy.

The low down on Corral - He's a project QB much like Desmond Rider and Willis -- though unlike those two I think he could win a starting job from day one. His short passing game acumine is good enough that I think he could pull off a Derek Carr impersonation to some degree. He's going to have some major bumps and bruises transitioning from his system. It's unlike anything in the NFL, he's going to have to make throws he never had to in college and throw more routes on a regular basis. He offers you some really good attributes such as a lightning quick release, and extremely good short accuracy and ball placement. The guy straight up has one of the fastest releases that I've ever seen. Coral is going to have to learn to go through progressions in a regular way. He did it some in college, but it's something he wasn't asked to do very often. Corral also is going to have to hang in the pocket.

Is he a good pick? Not at number 9 he isn't. I think if you can get him at the top of the second round that would be ideal, maybe a trade down to mid first -- but that is pushing it. I'm kind of thinking that the guy might be a smoke screen at this point though, because his skillset is unlike any other QB we've pursued. If we get him i'm interested to see how our offense evolves, I do know that Shane is from the Shannahan/McVay style of WCO. Corral does throw good on the run but his deep ball just ain't it. I could see him becoming a good QB but I could just as likely see him becoming a bust. Whether or not I take him would depend on his interviewing and what kiffin would have to say about him, which we do have some insider information given the Kiffin, Carroll connection. In some respects I really like Corral as a player, and in other ways I hate some aspects about him. I wouldn't be opposed to see him as a Hawk -- but a 9 that would be an extremely hard sell.
 
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Spin Doctor

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Strong but inaccurate when it comes to deep ball?
Yes, I think Corral has an underrated arm, he can really put some fire on the ball. He's also very inaccurate on deep passes. He does most of his work at 5-20 yards, and there he is extremely accurate and precise. Past 20 yards and he struggles to hit his receivers, usually he's so far off here that nobody can get it.

It could be a mechanical issue of sort that needs to be worked out, maybe something else that I'm not seeing that is causing this. It could be something he grows into after some time in the NFL -- but as of right now, his deep ball accuracy is extremely inconsistent. He can make all of the throws one could hope for, it's just the consistency on those deep passes are really lacking.
 

toffee

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Yes, I think Corral has an underrated arm, he can really put some fire on the ball. He's also very inaccurate on deep passes. He does most of his work at 5-20 yards, and there he is extremely accurate and precise. Past 20 yards and he struggles to hit his receivers, usually he's so far off here that nobody can get it.

It could be a mechanical issue of sort that needs to be worked out, maybe something else that I'm not seeing that is causing this. It could be something he grows into after some time in the NFL -- but as of right now, his deep ball accuracy is extremely inconsistent. He can make all of the throws one could hope for, it's just the consistency on those deep passes are really lacking.
when you said deep ball, you meant throw of 35+ yards from los, or 50+?
 
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Spin Doctor

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when you said deep ball, you meant throw of 35+ yards from los, or 50+?
He can make from hash to hash with boring consistency up until 20-30 yards. Past 30 yards it becomes a gamble as to whether or not he can get the ball to his receiver. His go route in particular isn't very good, his post routes seem to be his favorite for deep passes.
 

Yxes1122

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Corral’s deep shot decision making is another issue. He doesn’t adjust to the post snap coverage if he has already made up his mind pre snap.
 

toffee

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He can make from hash to hash with boring consistency up until 20-30 yards. Past 30 yards it becomes a gamble as to whether or not he can get the ball to his receiver. His go route in particular isn't very good, his post routes seem to be his favorite for deep passes.

Montana was accused of a weak arm coming out of Notre Dame, not comparing, just saying. Even Montana himself acknowledged that accusation, but rebut that all college QB could throw 50 yard passes, but long balls were over rated according to him :) quite sure our former QB would disagree.
 
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Corral’s deep shot decision making is another issue. He doesn’t adjust to the post snap coverage if he has already made up his mind pre snap.
Yes, in his system he's taught to make one read and to run take off if that read isn't available. If his pre-snap read isn't available generally he will just take off. It's how Kiffin's system works. That is probably his biggest drawback coming into the NFL. Sometimes he'll play hero ball and force it too. There is one example that stood out to me against Tennessee I believe. He was forced out of the pocket, and he didn't see the safety lurking by his receiver downfield. He zoned in on it, and threw a pick. That was his most egregious pick that I saw when watching him. He had a few of those moments.
 

toffee

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Yes, in his system he's taught to make one read and to run take off if that read isn't available. If his pre-snap read isn't available generally he will just take off. It's how Kiffin's system works. That is probably his biggest drawback coming into the NFL.
Russ was one read, run around buy time, follow with hero??
 

Appyhawk

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Corral is one of 2-3 guys I would throw a second round pick at. No pun intended! LOL
I much prefer the ball control style passing game to hero style and consider the 50 yard bombs to be acts of desperation.
I've been opposed to drafting a QB in this draft, but looking at all the options we have available I am coming around to the notion we should draft a QB in each of the next two drafts and figure out where they can take us.
 
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UK_Seahawk

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Corral is one of 2-3 guys I would throw a second round pick at. No pun intended! LOL
I much prefer the ball control style passing game to hero style and consider the 50 yard bombs to be acts of desperation.
I've been opposed to drafting a QB in this draft, but looking at all the options we have available I am coming around to the notion we should draft a QB in each of the next two drafts and figure out where they can take us.
Out of interest who are the others?

Ridder and Willis?
 

GemCity

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Thanks for the analysis. I watched a few YouTube clips as I too noticed he was being linked to the Seahawks.
Of course, I only saw “highlights”.

I’m hoping we pass on QBs in this draft. At the very least, I certainly don’t want to see us take one in the first two rounds this year.

I’ve warmed up to the Drew Lock idea. No expectations…just excitement to see what Pete does with him.
 

Appyhawk

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Out of interest who are the others?

Ridder and Willis?
I like the athletic makeup of Willis, and he has shown some good skills, but am worried his stats are skewed without adjustment for level of competition. Buffalo isn't exactly the SEC, etc. Also think the kid from Kentucky can ball a bit, but I wonder if he has the goods to beat nfl defenders. If I couldn't get one of those first two in the second or later I'd just wait until next year and use the top picks to build up the lines.
 

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I like the athletic makeup of Willis, and he has shown some good skills, but am worried his stats are skewed without adjustment for level of competition.
Level of competition is a two-way street, no one ever mentions level of support. Willis did not have an "SEC" O'line, Backs, or receivers. He was at Liberty for two seasons, his first was spectacular, his second not so good, either he regressed, or the team around him did.
 

ivotuk

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Montana was accused of a weak arm coming out of Notre Dame, not comparing, just saying. Even Montana himself acknowledged that accusation, but rebut that all college QB could throw 50 yard passes, but long balls were over rated according to him :) quite sure our former QB would disagree.

Bill Walsh: "Joe Montana had the best feet I'd ever seen." That's such a huge, yet overlooked attribute. Footwork = accuracy, and 'Joltin Joe' was deadly accurate.
 

Jville

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Bill Walsh: "Joe Montana had the best feet I'd ever seen." That's such a huge, yet overlooked attribute. Footwork = accuracy, and 'Joltin Joe' was deadly accurate.
It's a mystery to me as to why the feet are so overlooked and so infrequently mentioned. Good feet are the basis for good athletics. At quarterback, good feet and legs provide a stable platform to the upper torso from which to throw the ball accurately and consistently ... while on the move.

Good feet make a big difference at other positions as well. As we saw thru out the career of Walter Jones.
 

Appyhawk

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Level of competition is a two-way street, no one ever mentions level of support. Willis did not have an "SEC" O'line, Backs, or receivers. He was at Liberty for two seasons, his first was spectacular, his second not so good, either he regressed, or the team around him did.
Or maybe the reason he was at Liberty is because he couldn't get PT at an SEC school. I like the kid enough I would use a second round pick on Corral or Willis. But I wouldn't really expect either to be nfl ready for at least a year or two.
 

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Or maybe the reason he was at Liberty is because he couldn't get PT at an SEC school. I like the kid enough I would use a second round pick on Corral or Willis. But I wouldn't really expect either to be nfl ready for at least a year or two.
That's actually right where I'm at. Want a first day starter at either Left Tackle, Nose Tackle, or Rush Linebacker. Based on the Hype and the Ceiling Willis will not be there in the Second, but Corral might, and a pick there would not bother me in the least. 2023 with 2 Firsts, one should be a QB.
 
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