3 things Matt Corral must improve to win Panthers starting job in 2022
By Dean Jones
Matt Corral must rely less on the running game
Taking the running aspect away from Matt Corral’s game entirely would be a mistake by the Carolina Panthers. His athleticism and ability to generate meaningful yards on the ground could be a useful asset on occasions, but the quarterback must refine how get goes about his business in this particular statistical category in the NFL.
One of the main concerns surrounding Corral during the evaluation process was his size. At 6-foot-2 and 212 pounds with a slender build, the former Ole Miss standout cannot go around trying to steamroll opposing defenders as he did in college.
This will simply not fly against physically imposing defensive linemen or linebackers who will be aiming to blow Corral up at any given opportunity. Something that needs a significant amount of adjustment from what the player has been used to throughout his career.
There is nothing wrong with going out of bounds quickly or sliding to avoid contact. Corral needs to learn this or risk getting seriously hurt at the next level.
Mobility was a key area of Corral’s game that resulted in 1,338 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns throughout his four-year stint with the Rebels. If harnessed in the right way, there is nothing to suggest this cannot be a prolific weapon for the Panthers.