Jeremy James: Whichever NFL team selects Ole Miss' Matt Corral will get a franchise quarterback

The general consensus in NFL Draft circles is there’s no clear-cut and obvious No. 1 quarterback in the 2022 class.

Ole Miss veteran offensive lineman Jeremy James is biased, to be sure, but he knows who he’d take if he was leading a franchise. 

Rebel quarterback Matt Corral is currently viewed as a late-first-round selection. ESPN’s Mel Kiper has him going to the Detroit Lions at No. 32 overall, while CBS projects him to the Tennessee Titans at No. 26.

ESPN’s Todd McShay recently floated the possibility of the Seattle Seahawks trading back into the first round (they’ll pick first at No. 9) to snag Corral. Seattle recently traded franchise quarterback Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos.

“I personally believe Matt’s the best player in the draft,” James, an exclusive NIL partner of the Ole Miss Spirit, said. He’s sponsored by CanopyNation. Contact them today at 901-805-2860.

“Whoever gets him is going to get someone that can control a locker room. He’s going to be one of the hardest workers on the team. That’s my guy. I would do anything for that man.”

Corral completed 68 percent of his passes for 3,339 yards and 20 touchdowns (to just four interceptions) last season.

He added 597 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground. He was the only FBS player with more than 3,000 yards passing and 500 yards rushing in 2021. Ole Miss finished 10-3, including its 10th all-time appearance in the Sugar Bowl. He hurt his ankle in the game, but the injury hasn’t impacted his draft stock much, if at all.

Corral stepping in as the replacement for Wilson is an interesting possibility. McShay believes Oregon EDGE Kayvon Thibodeaux is good fit for Seattle’s first pick, followed by Corral a little later.

“He’s kind of got similar skills to what Russell Wilson had,” McShay said. “Do you trade back into the first round to go get him now that you have all of these first round picks this year and next year? I think that would be a more logical possibility when you could get an elite talent like Thibodeux at (the No. 9) spot.”

“I don’t know if he’s going to step right in and take over immediately, but whenever he gets that opportunity, he’s going to be that franchise quarterback for a long time,” James, who served as Corral’s starting right tackle the last two seasons, said. “I truly believe it. Knowing that he’s there gives an entire offense that confidence to know, ‘All right, we’re good. Something special is going to happen.’”

Jaxson Dart and Luke Altmyer will compete to replace Corral as Ole Miss quarterback next season.

Ole Miss landed Dart out of the NCAA Transfer Portal in the offseason. Formerly of USC, he chose the Rebels over Oklahoma, BYU and others. He completed 62 percent of his passes for 1,354 yards, nine touchdowns and five interceptions as a true freshman.

Altmyer, a former four-star prospect from Starkville, served as Corral’s primary backup a year ago. He was a true freshman, like Dart, and had 174 yards and a 38-yard touchdown toss when pressed into duty in the Sugar Bowl. He also threw two interceptions.

Whoever earns the nod, they’ll have some big shoes to fill, according to James.

“He did a really good job of connecting, not just with me, but with all the guys,” James said. “He’s a really good friend. We’d hang out off the field — go to baseball games, hang out, do whatever, go to dinner. He’s a great guy. I love that dude.”