Falcons NFL Draft: Mocking A QB To Atlanta

Is the end of the Matt Ryan era nearing?

Jeremy Brener | Jul 16, 2021

When the Falcons were on the clock with the fourth pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, many fans thought a quarterback could head their way.

Eventually, Kyle Pitts became the heavy favorite and eventual selection, but the speculation that the Falcons could draft a quarterback that high was, at least in the minds of some, the beginning of the end of the Matt Ryan era in Atlanta.

At 36, Ryan is still a starting-caliber quarterback but his age is beginning to show. The Falcons haven't had a winning record since 2017.

In Bleacher Report's Way-Too-Early 2022 Mock Draft, they fix that problem for the Falcons.

With the 10th pick in the draft, B/R mocks Ole Miss QB Matt Corral to the Falcons.

Corral is a natural thrower with a tight delivery, which creates easy velocity. The quarterback also has a good feel in the pocket with more than enough escapability to create in the running game or when he scrambles. Corral finished with 506 rushing yards and four touchdowns.

Corral is the fourth quarterback off the board after Oklahoma's Spencer Rattler, North Carolina's Sam Howell and Liberty's Malik Willis.

Corral has a lot of potential to trend in either direction, up or down, in what is likely to be his final college season.

Last year, Corral impressed at Ole Miss, completing over 70 percent of his passes and 29 touchdowns in 10 games.

If Corral can take another step in the right direction this season, he could be a surefire Top 10 pick, and that's what Bleacher Report expects.

Corral is the highest-rated quarterback prospect in the SEC, which could also give him an edge as he faces many top-tier defenses in the country.

The one downside to his game has been his decision-making. Last season, Corral threw 14 interceptions and he's going to have to clean that up if he wants to impress teams in the Top 10 to take him.

However, given the need at the position in Atlanta, a quarterback cannot be out of the question, so we think it's a good idea to - in addition to watching every Falcons move, of course, as we will - keep an eye on Corral this season.

CONTINUE READING: Falcons & QB Malik Willis: 'The Next Michael Vick'?

Published Jul 16, 2021

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.