The New Orleans Saints failed to make the NFL Playoffs this season, coming up just short in the final week of the year. Now, their attention is turning towards the 2022 NFL Draft and free agency and trying to improve their roster. Obviously, their biggest question they will face will be who starts the 2022 season at the quarterback position.
Right now, Taysom Hill, Ian Book, and Jameis Winston seem like the most likely options. Winston would need to be re-signed, but he did show some intriguing flashes in the seven games he played before going down with a torn ACL.
While the Saints may already have their quarterback around the team, they could also look to add a quarterback either in free agency or the NFL Draft. A new mock draft by YardBarker has the Saints drafting their new franchise quarterback. They have New Orleans snagging Ole Miss standout Matt Corral in the first round.
The Saints have needs at quarterback and receiver, but it would be surprising if they don’t take a quarterback if they like one in the 2022 class. Corral suffered a scary ankle injury in the Rebels bowl loss, which hopefully won’t hurt his draft stock. He had back-to-back terrific seasons at Ole Miss, capping off his career with over 3,300 yards passing and 600 yards rushing in 2021.
Prior to his ankle injury, many were projecting Corral to be a top-five draft pick. His stock could rise again, but for now he is expected to be picked in the middle of the first round. That would give the Saints a chance to get him.
Corral put together a solid 2021 season with the Rebels, completing 67.9 percent of his pass attempts for 3,349 yards, 20 touchdowns, and five interceptions. He also picked up 614 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground.
Granted, those numbers aren’t as good as some of the quarterbacks in this draft class. However, Corral played a tough schedule and still found success. He has all of the necessary tools to be a successful NFL quarterback.
If the Saints want to make a splash in the 2022 NFL Draft, drafting Matt Corral would be a good route to go. He certainly has the potential to be a long-term franchise quarterback. New Orleans would be wise to consider bringing in a first-round quarterback if the opportunity presents itself.
Expect to hear a lot of speculation and rumors surrounding the Saints. They need a quarterback upgrade and it will be interesting to see which route they choose to go.
