With the 2021 college football season right around the corner, all eyes will be on the quarterback class ahead of the 2022 NFL Draft. During a recent episode of The Adam Schefter Podcast, college football expert Kirk Herbstreit identified four quarterbacks who really have a chance to have a breakout season. Herbstreit started with Ole Miss quarterback Matt Corral and Oklahoma quarterback Spencer Rattler.
“I would say the Matt Corral kid at Ole Miss really has a chance to take off and maybe go to another level,” Herbstreit said. “He’s in an offense with Lane (Kiffin) and what they do is going to give him a chance to put up big numbers. People forget how highly touted he was when he came out of high school. I mean he was as big of a name in the high school game as there was and he had some struggles early, and he eventually found his way. He would be one.”
Last season was Corrall’s first with head coach Lane Kiffin. In 10 games last year, Corral completed 70.9% of his passes for 3,337 yards with 29 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.
Herbstreit also identified Rattler as an obvious candidate for a breakout season but quickly moved to Liberty signal-caller Malik Willis.
“The Rattler kid at OU is an obvious one, let me give you one that will probably take off, I don’t know if he’s off the radar but Malik Willis at Liberty, he’s got a chance. He’s one of those guys like Trey Lance was last year, he’s a bit off the radar in the games that they play and the teams that they play but I think more and more guys are starting to show the NFL that they can play. And I think the media is starting to try and buy one. I think it’s opened the door for some of the guys at lesser-known programs, so he would be probably the guy I say that has the biggest chance.”
Willis started his collegiate career at Auburn before transferring to Liberty last season. In 10 games last year, Willis completed 64.2% of his passes for 2,250 yards with 20 touchdowns and six interceptions. He also rushed for 944 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground.
Finally, Herbstreit identified Arziona State quarterback Jayden Daniels.
“The Jayden Daniels kid, after his freshman year, he’s at Arizona State with Herm (Edwards), he was lights out and then COVID hit and he didn’t have a great year last year. But if he gets on track he can be another guy who I think has a great year.”
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As Herbstreit pointed out, Daniels’ freshman season was fantastic, completing 60.7% of his passes for 2,943 yards with 17 touchdowns and two interceptions. Last year in a COVID shortened four-game season, Daniels completed 58.3% of his passes for 701 yards with five touchdowns and one interception.
