Ole Miss Football: Will Matt Corral injury effect NFL draft stock?

Ole Miss football quarterback Matt Corral was injured in the first quarter of the Sugar Bowl tonight. Will it affect his draft stock?

Mississippi quarterback Matt Corral suffered an injury in the first half of the Sugar Bowl this evening. He first went into the injury tent and returned to the sidelines without his uniform and crutches.

Corral was visibly emotional standing on the sidelines to support his teammates.

Corral, a junior who declared for the 2022 NFL Draft, made it a point to let the media and his team know that he was playing in the Sugar Bowl and not opting out as many players have done this postseason.

Draft prospect injuries are something we’ve seen before

Players getting injured in their final season before heading to the draft is not new. Former Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford played in just three games before a season-ending injury cut his junior year short. Bradford still went first overall.

Former Sooner Adrian Peterson also had his final season cut short due to a knee injury. Peterson still went seventh overall in the 2007 NFL Draft. Jake Butt and Jaylon Smith suffered injuries in bowl games yet were drafted.

Both Butt and Smith suffered ACL injuries in their respective bowl games, which affected their draft stock. Smith was a top-five pick before the injury and a second-round selection. Butt, projected to be a top 50 pick, drafted the fifth round.

Will the injury affect Corral’s draft stock?

It is difficult to say whether or not this injury will cause Corral to fall in the draft. That will not be determined until the extent of the knee injury is known. Corral and Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett are the top two quarterback prospects in the draft and are likely to be the first two quarterbacks taken.

His stock should be fine if Corral is healthy enough for private workouts and even the scouting combine. Corral could fall if he can’t work out for teams. Though Corral is one of the top two quarterbacks in the draft, he is not a Trevor Lawrence or Andrew Luck-level prospect.