The Rebels’ QB position looks quite different this spring with Shea Patterson out of the picture and freshman Matt Corral in it. Of course, senior Jordan Ta’amu is full command of the position, but the big-armed freshman is certainly a player to keep an eye on. Enrolling early could pay dividends for Corral and Ole Miss.

With the first week of the Rebels’ spring practice in the books, OC Phil Longo gave his first impressions of Corral.

“He’s extremely talented,” Longo said, via 247Sports. “Huge arm. He just needs to make the transition, and that’s what he’s doing right now from the high school game to the speed of the college game. It’s nothing different than from any other mid-year freshman trying to get it going in the spring. We’re not helping him slowing down. He’s got to kind of get on the train leaving town at the speed that it’s leaving. At the end of the day, that will be for his benefit. For practice three for a freshman who was in high school in December, we’re doing just fine.”

The Long Beach, California, native was rated as a 4-star prospect, ranked as the nation’s No. 4 overall pro-style QB and the state’s No. 9 overall player, according to 247Sports Composite Rankings. He was the Rebels’ highest rated signee in the 2018 recruiting class.

Corral’s recruitment was certainly an interesting one. He committed to USC in February of 2016 only to decommit in June of 2017. Shortly thereafter, he committed to Florida under Jim McElwain before flipping his commitment to Ole Miss just before the Early Signing Day.

Ta’amu no doubt fits this offense perfectly, and it’ll be interesting to see what role — if any — Corral will play this season.