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WATCH: Daniel Jeremiah shares why Matt Corral has quickest hands in 2022 draft class

SimonGibbs_UserImageby:Simon Gibbs03/27/22

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Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images.

Quarterback Matt Corral had a decorated career at Ole Miss, and though it did not end as planned, the Long Beach, California native still projects as a first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft — and according to NFL analyst Daniel Jeremiah, one of Corral’s most overlooked skills is his hand speed.

Jeremiah, a former NFL scout, revisited some of Corral’s best film from the fall and concluded that he has the quickest hands in the 2022 NFL Draft class, despite not being the projected top quarterback off the board.

“He has got a live arm,” Jeremiah said of Corral. “He’s an outstanding athlete. You see it with the movement in the pocket, as well as when it gets outside the pocket. He’s got the quickest hands in the draft.”

Corral, of course, suffered a sprained ankle early in the Sugar Bowl, a game that Ole Miss ended up losing to Baylor, but he still proved his worth as a teammate by even suiting up, while many other top-ranked seniors may have instead opted out of the game.

Corral showcased his skills as both a passer and runner this season at Ole Miss. He threw for 3,339 yards, while holding a 68.4 percent completion rate, and he threw for 20 touchdowns with just four interceptions. All the while, Corral rushed for 597 yards and 11 touchdowns, including a single-game high of 195 rushing yards against Tennessee. He finished as the only FBS player with more than 3,000 passing yards and 500 rushing yards, and Corral’s was one of just three quarterbacks in the nation to throw for at least 20 touchdowns while running for at least 11 more.

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Lane Kiffin describes impact of losing star quarterback Matt Corral

Ole Miss will have a new quarterback under center in 2022, as former Rebels star Matt Corral has departed the program and is currently gearing up for the upcoming NFL Draft. Projected to be a first-round pick, Corral was highly successful at Ole Miss – but now it’s time for the next man to step up and take over the quarterback duties for Lane Kiffin’s club.

Meeting with reporters on Tuesday, Kiffin was asked how weird it was to be back on the field for spring practices and not having Corral out there with the team.

“There’s a lot of weird things, so it is what it is,” Kiffin said. “It’s been a long time since I haven’t had Wilson out there – so not just here, but going all the way back to FAU, or Kevin Smith, so there’s a lot of new … and Matt’s part of that. There’s a lot of different things, but that comes with success – and change is good.

“You’ve gotta embrace change. New people have new ideas.”

Corral put together a stellar career at Ole Miss, throwing for 8,287 yards, 57 touchdowns and 23 touchdowns over his four seasons in Oxford. It’s not going to be an easy task for Kiffin to replace the quarterback, but the Rebels have no choice but to find their new signal-caller.