Matt Corral felt an immediate comfort with the Panthers matt corral felt an immediate comfort with panthers. He liked their tenacity as a team and their ability to rebound from adversity. “It was really easy to like them,” Corral said. “They have a lot of talent, and they play together as a team. They fight through adversity, and that’s something that I’ve admired since I’ve been here.” The Panthers selected Corral in the fifth round (143rd overall) of the NFL Draft on Saturday night. He becomes the first Panther drafted out of FSU since Kelvin Benjamin in 2013.
It all started with a tweet
When San Diego Chargers linebacker Matt Corral first saw the Panthers in the preseason, he knew he had to have a jersey.
“I just really liked their uniforms,” said Corral. “They were colorful and I felt like they looked like a team that could compete.”
Corral reached out to Panther receiver Devin Funchess on Twitter and the two started talking about their teams.
A few weeks later, Corral sent Funchess a tweet asking if he wanted to go get some coffee.
The two met up for coffee and then dinner soon after. They hit it off and started talking football again.
“It was just like we had been friends for years,” said Funchess. “We were both excited about our teams and we just clicked.” The friendship led to lunch one day at a restaurant in Poway, where they talked shop until close. From there, they just kept hanging out – going for walks, watching film together and even spending time at each other’s houses. “He’s such a cool guy,” said Corral of his new friend. “He has so much wisdom and is always willing to help out with anything.” Just six months after meeting online, Corral is living the dream as one of Carolina’s newest defenders…andFunchess can’t be happier for him.
The linebacker’s journey
Matt Corral felt an immediate comfort with the Panthers. “When I first got here, coach ( Ron Rivera) was telling me about the culture and how this is a family-oriented organization,” Corral said. “It was a perfect fit for me.” Corral has made an impact on the field since joining the Panthers. He recorded a team-high nine tackles in their game against the Buccaneers last week. His physicality and hustle have been noticeable in every game he’s played for Carolina. “He does a lot of things well,” defensive coordinator Steve Wilks said of Corral. “He can run, he can play coverage and he’s got good instincts.” The linebacker is already establishing himself as one of Carolina’s key players this season.
Meeting the panthers of Matt corral felt an immediate comfort with panthers
The Carolina Panthers drafted defensive back Matt Corral in the seventh round of the 2017 NFL Draft. After playing his college ball at Southern Mississippi, Corral visited several teams during the pre-draft process – including the Panthers.
“I felt an immediate comfort with the panthers,” said Corral. “The staff was really welcoming and I loved how they play defense.”
Corral is excited to join a team that has made a lot of progress over the last few years. The Panthers finished 10th in points allowed in 2016 and are looking to improve on that this season.
“I’m looking forward to helping the Panthers continue their success,” said Corral.
Matt corral felt an immediate comfort with panthers His rookie season
In his rookie season, Matt Corral felt an immediate comfort with the Panthers. The team is loaded with talent and he was able to contribute right away. He finished the year with two touchdowns and nine receptions for 97 yards.
The offseason
The offseason is finally here, and that means one thing – Matt Corral is free! The Jaguars drafted Corral with the idea of him eventually being their starting center, so it’s important that he settles in as soon as possible.
“I feel an immediate comfort with the Panthers,” Corral said. “This team has a lot of talent and a great coaching staff. I’m looking forward to getting to work.”
Corral went through a couple workouts with Jacksonville this offseason but felt most at home when he was working out with the Panthers. He thinks that familiarity will help him ease into his new role quickly.
“I think it will be good for me because I have worked with these guys before,” Corral said. “They know what I can do and they will help me transition into my new role.”
The Jaguars need Corral to step up this season if they want to make the playoffs. He has the skillset to be a dominant center in the NFL, and now he just needs to get adjusted to his new team and playbook.
Training camp
In the days leading up to training camp, it was encouraging to see that Matt Corral felt an immediate comfort with the Panther organization and its players. “It was kind of expected,” he said. “I’ve known these guys for a while now and they’re all good people.”Corral has been working out in Charlotte with teammates at the team’s facilities since late July, and is anxious to get started on his new NFL home. “There’s a lot of excitement here,” he said. “This is my team now.” Adding some stability to the quarterback position will be one of the Panthers’ top priorities this season, as Cam Newton enters his fifth year in the league.
The Panthers start their preseason schedule against Tampa Bay on Friday night at 7:00 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network
The preseason Matt corral felt an immediate comfort with panthers
The preseason started for the Panthers on Sunday when they traveled down to Tampa Bay to take on the Buccaneers. The game was a close one, with both teams scoring 21 points in the fourth quarter. The final score was 27-24 in favor of the Panthers, but it was clear from the first possession that this would not be an easy game. With Kelvin Benjamin out due to injury, Devin Funchess stepped up big and caught six passes for 108 yards and two touchdowns. There were also solid performances from Jonathan Stewart (13 carries for 67 yards and a touchdown), Taylor Heinicke (17-of-27 passing for 204 yards and two touchdowns) and Cameron Artis-Payne (11 carries for 43 yards).
The most important thing for the Panthers is that they got their first win of the preseason. Now they can focus on preparing for their opening game against Pittsburgh on Thursday night.
Playing in the regular season
Matt Corral felt an immediate comfort with the Panthers after signing with the team in March. The tight end from Brigham Young University said he felt like he was a part of a family at Panther Park and could not be happier with his decision to sign with Carolina.
“The culture here is great,” Corral said. “It’s just a family atmosphere, there’s no politics and everyone is super supportive of each other. I feel like I’m a part of something big here and that’s really what drew me in.”
Corral, who caught 49 passes for 613 yards and six touchdowns in his final season at BYU, brings size (6-foot-5, 258 pounds) and athleticism to the Panthers’ tight end position. He said he has been working on improving his blocking skills this offseason and expects that to be one of his strengths as a Panther.
“I feel like I have some potential to be good at blocking,” Corral said. “That’s something that I want to work on more this offseason and help out my team.”
The playoffs
When the Panthers drafted Carolina native Matt Corral with their first-round pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, most fans were excited to see what he could bring to the table. The 6’4″, 295-pound tight end out of Fresno State had consistently shown flashes of brilliance at the collegiate level and was widely regarded as one of the top prospects in this year’s draft class.
In his rookie season with the Panthers, Corral appeared in all 16 games and caught 17 passes for 178 yards and two touchdowns. His production wasn’t overwhelming statistically, but it was clear that he was a valuable asset to an offense that struggled mightily during much of the season.
The Panther’s fortunes changed dramatically in Week 16 when they faced off against the Dallas Cowboys. In that game, Corral caught four passes for 73 yards and a touchdown, helping Carolina to pull off an upset victory. It was clear from that moment on that he had found his home on this team and was going to be a key contributor going forward.
This past season, Corral continued his development into one of the premier tight ends in the league. He played in all 16 games for the second consecutive season and recorded 41 receptions for 589 yards and six touchdowns. He also proved himself as a reliable blocker. Which is critical given how important tight ends have become in today’s NFL offenses.
