Getty A new mock draft from PFF has the Seattle Seahawks trading quarterback Russell Wilson to the Philadelphia Eagles.
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ost NFL first-round mock drafts this offseason are not going to have the Seattle Seahawks picking a player. That’s because the Seahawks don’t have a first-round pick since they dealt it to the New York Jets in Jamal Adams trade in July 2020.
But a new mock draft from Michael Renner of Pro Football Focus has the Seahawks acquiring the No. 15 overall choice in this year’s draft, along with several draft picks, including multiple first-rounders, from the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for quarterback Russell Wilson.
Then at No. 15 overall, Renner’s mock draft has the Seahawks drafting Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral.
“This year, the Eagles have more to move than anyone else outside the Giants and could be looking to set their sights higher after Jalen Hurts’ disappointing playoff performance,” Renner wrote. “The Seahawks get to start afresh with quarterback Matt Corral, who has a deadly combination of mobility and arm talent.”
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Matt Corral Compared to Baker Mayfield
NFL analyst Lance Zierlein compares Corral to the Cleveland Browns quarterback, who, ironically, Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox proposed as a trade chip possibility, along with a lot of draft picks, to bring Wilson to Cleveland.
“Small quarterback with a big heart who has learned to play with better maturity and control without losing his edge,” Zierlein wrote. “Corral played in a quarterback-friendly-scheme with well-defined reads, so he needs to prove he can work through full-field professions and make good decisions with the ball.”
Corral threw for 3,343 yards and 20 touchdowns as a junior at Ole Miss last season. His touchdown passes and yards per attempt average dropped from 2020 to 2021 despite having played fewer games during the 2020 season, but Corral made far fewer big mistakes last year.
In 2020, he had 14 interceptions in 10 contests. Last season, Corral tossed five picks in 13 games.
Still, ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay also identified his decision-making as a place where he needs to continue to get better.
“Corral improved as a pocket-passer and decision-maker in 2021, but those are still work-in-progress areas,” McShay wrote.
Corral also rushed for 614 yards and 11 touchdowns last season.
In the Sugar Bowl against Baylor, Corral suffered a sprained ankle. That’s something to monitor in the coming months, but ESPN’s Chris Low reported on Jan. 2 the injury is not supposed to impact Corral’s draft status.
Preliminary news on @corral_matt’s injury is promising. Family members tell ESPN that X-rays were normal and that it’s a sprained ankle. MRI will determine severity of sprain, but several in NFL circles say they don’t see injury affecting Corral’s draft status.
McShay has Corral ranked as his 27th overall player in the 2022 draft class.
Russell Wilson Says He Wants to Stay in Seattle
Trade rumors have circled around the Seahawks quarterback for a year, and the speculation is expected to continue through the 2022 NFL Draft.
But publicly, Wilson has said he wants to stay with the Seahawks.
“I’ve been fortunate to play 10 amazing years in Seattle, so my hope and goal is to be back there and keep winning there,” Wilson said while appearing on Mad Dog Sports Radio on Sirius XM on Feb. 13. “That’s the vision. That’s the goal. It’s never really been anything different.”
Those comments gelled with what Wilson said to NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe the week prior at Pro Bowl practice.
“Hopefully I get to play in one place for a long, long time like those guys did,” Wilson said, referring to Tom Brady and Ben Roethlisberger.
“Hopefully I get to play in one place for a long long time like those guys did.”
@DangeRussWilson stops by to chat with @CameronWolfe to discuss what it means to him to be at the #ProBowl again, and where he wants to play next year.
Jeff Howe of The Athletic reports the Seahawks “have no interest in trading” Wilson unless “absolutely forced to do so.” With that in mind, Wilson’s public comments will likely have to change for the Seahawks to be interested in Corral.