McAdoo Told Corral He 'Loved' Him 'From the Beginning'
Ahead of the 2022 NFL Draft, Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo met with the media to discuss the prospects in this class and he did a very good job of hiding which quarterback he liked most, which was Matt Corral.
“I’m a big swing for the fences kind of guy, so just because you’re ready doesn’t mean you’re going to be the best. Ready does factor in some scenarios. I think experience obviously helps, the more games that you play helps. Experiences in what type of systems you played in may help some guys over others. At the end of the day, you have to pick a player that you’re going to be happy with at that position hopefully for the next decade. Readiness plays a part but is not everything.”
Looking back, it's easy to see that he was never high on Kenny Pickett out of Pitt. However, at the time, it felt like he didn't like Corral either considering he mentioned how certain types of offenses helped some guys over the others. It seemed as if he was saying the offense that Ole Miss runs wouldn't help a quarterback be ready for the NFL. Instead, Corral was the guy he wanted all along.
"I think he has the chance to be unique. He's my kind of guy with the way he's built, his athleticism, and the way he throws it and can pull the trigger," McAdoo said in the Panthers Confidential video. "I can feel him on the tape, he competes. He's got passion. He's got something that can make him special and that's the way he gets the ball out of his hand."
When the team called Corral to inform him that he was being drafted, McAdoo picked up the phone and told him how excited he was to get him.
"Let me tell you something, you hit the lotto coming here, man. I loved you from the beginning. We're going to get you in here and get you spinning it. You're going to have a lot of fun in the process."
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