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1. The lead-up to the NFL Draft simply didn't go the way Matt Corral envisioned.
From an ankle injury in the Sugar Bowl that prevented him from going through 100 percent of drills and such at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis to a sometimes shaky performance in his Ole Miss Pro Day in March, things just didn't go all that swimmingly.
On Thursday, rumors of off-the-field concerns began circulating in NFL circles. It's obvious the NFL didn't love this quarterback class, and it felt like teams were talking themselves out of Corral. Was there something new or was it old stuff just getting regurgitated? I don't know and frankly, at this point, it doesn't matter. As much as people want to gossip and get some inside scoop, it just doesn't matter.
Carolina traded up for Corral in the third round on Friday night. The Panthers liked Corral throughout the process and were one of the most dialed-in teams at Pro Day. They moved up Friday and got their man.
Corral will get every chance to win the job in Charlotte, likely sooner rather than later. The Panthers have Sam Darnold, but it feels like he's more a place-setter than anything else.
A league source told ESPN that adding a quarterback in the draft always was Carolina general manager Scott Fitterer's first choice, although the Panthers hadn't totally ruled out a trade for Baker Mayfield if the Browns agreed to pay a large portion of his 2022 salary ($18.58 million).
The two sides never got close enough to make a deal agreeable.
"I believe in drafting and developing new guys," said Fitterer, who was part of the Seattle Seahawks' front office in 2012 when they selected Russell Wilson in the third round. "We needed a young guy that we're going to have to develop for the future of this team."
That's great news for Corral. Yes, dropping out of the first round cost him a ton of money. However, being a third-rounder will buy him some time to learn the offense and get comfortable before there's pressure to produce. And falling to the mid-90s should provide a career-full of fuel to feed Corral's desire.
Corral has been doubted before and proven those doubters wrong. Now, he gets another chance, and he gets it in an NFL setting with a franchise that would love nothing more than for him to be a star. The past, and anything and everything that came with it, no longer matters.
2. Unlike Corral, the lead-up to the NFL Draft couldn't have gone better for Sam Williams.
The former Ole Miss defensive end was terrific last season and then had a basically perfect spring. He wanted to go to Dallas, and the Cowboys fell in love with Williams early in the process. The marriage was consummated Friday when Dallas selected Williams in the second round.
It's a wonderful fit, even if some Dallas media are questioning the Cowboys taking another player with issues in his past. Williams was suspended from the Ole Miss team in July 2020 after being charged with sexual battery, but reinstated two months later after the charge was dropped.
“It’s a new life, just a whole new start ahead of me," Williams said in a press conference with media covering the Cowboys. "And that’s what I’m looking forward the most is a new start in a new area with great coaches, great teammates and my family.”
"We looked thoroughly into all of the allegations," Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said. "As you well know, it was aired out real good there at Ole Miss. Once they were satisfied where he was, then he came back and joined the team. We spent a lot of time because we had a keen interest in him. We spent a lot of time talking with a lot of people that know him real close. We are satisfied that we are good with this pick.”
Williams will be asked in Dallas to do what he does best -- rush the quarterback. The Cowboys added Dante Fowler Jr. and Dorance Armstrong in free agency, so Williams won't be pushed too fast. Instead, he'll likely be used in packages favorable to him early on while he breaks into the NFL.
3. I'll have some personal thoughts after the press release from UM Media Relations.
From UM:
Four more Rebels were selected during the final day of the 2022 NFL Draft as the annual event came to a close in Las Vegas. Snoop Conner became the first Rebel off the board on Saturday as the junior running back was selected in the fifth round by the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Tennessee Titans drafted linebacker Chance Campbell in the sixth round, while Mark Robinson (Pittsburgh) and Deane Leonard (Los Angeles Chargers) were both selected in the seventh and final round.
In total, six Rebels were selected during the 2022 NFL Draft, tied for the most in program history over the course of the last 50 years. Ole Miss also had six players drafted in 2019. Nine Rebels were selected in 1971 in a 17-round draft.
Conner, who saw action in 35 career games over his three years in Oxford, finished the 2021 season with 647 yards on the ground, including 13 TDs which ranked third in the SEC and No. 13 in the FBS. The 13 rushing touchdowns were the fifth-most by any Rebel in program history. Nineteen of Conner's 26 career rushing touchdowns were from five yards or less, including 14 one-yard TD runs. Conner's 26 rushing TDs are tied for second-most amongst SEC running back since 2019 and rank third all-time on Ole Miss' career charts.
Campbell made an immediate impact for the Ole Miss defense in his lone season in a Rebel uniform. The Ellicott City, Maryland, native led the team with 109 total tackles, including 12.5 tackles for loss. His 8.6 tackles ranked No. 4 in the SEC in 2021. Prior to Ole Miss, Campbell appeared in 25 career games at Maryland from 2018-20, earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors as a junior in 2020. He finished 12th in FBS and second in the Big Ten with 11.0 tackles per game in just four games as a junior.
Robinson, a former walk-on transfer from Southeast Missouri, played in all 13 games with nine starts at linebackers in 2021 for the Rebels after switching over to the defensive side of the ball prior to the start of fall camp last season. The Leesburg, Georgia, native finished second on the team with 92 total tackles and also registered 8.5 tackles for a loss.
Leonard, who utilized an additional year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic, played in and started 11 games at cornerback last season. Leonard finished the season with 50 total tackles, including 30 solo stops. His eight pass breakups were the second-most by any Rebels last year.
Ben Brown (Cincinnati), Dontario Drummond (Dallas), Jaylon Jones (Chicago), Braylon Sanders (Miami) and Tariqious Tisdale (Cincinnati) also all signed as an undrafted free agents Saturday evening following the conclusion of the draft.
My addition to that release: Running back Jerrion Ealy signed a free agent deal with the Kansas City Chiefs late Saturday/early Sunday.
My thoughts: First, I'm just super happy for Campbell. He bet on himself, followed his heart and gut and it paid off. He'll have a really strong chance of making the Titans' roster.
Conner, I believe, is going to have a nice role in Jacksonville. He's a bruising back who will also be an effective special teams player.
Robinson's story is simply amazing. His improvement over the course of last season was simply remarkable.
I noticed at Ole Miss' Pro Day that Leonard was creating a bit of a buzz. He made some real strides last season as well, and by the end of the season, I felt he was one of the real reasons the Rebels' defense became so stingy.
I was a little surprised Brown wasn't drafted. I assume it was as much health-related as anything, but if he's healthy, given the Bengals' desire to improve at the guard slots, he will have a real shot to make that roster.
4. The fact that the NFL can make the draft a three-day television event is a testament to its marketing skills. Every year, I get sucked in and every year, when it's over, I wonder why.
Anyway, here are my quick thoughts on winners and losers from the weekend:
Winners:
New York Giants -- It had to feel weird for Giants fans to watch the draft unfold and actually feel happiness. The Giants landed Kayvon Thibodeaux and Evan Neal, two players who got top-pick mentions, in the first round.
Baltimore -- When you walk out of the draft with Tyler Linderbaum, Kyle Hamilton and David Ojabo, you improved your team. I love Linderbaum. He'll be an All-Pro for multiple seasons, in my opinion, and Ojabo is a first-round pick if he doesn't suffer an Achilles injury in the run-up to the draft.
Philadelphia -- When you trade for A.J. Brown, land Jordan Davis to anchor your defensive line and have Nakobe Dean fall to you in the third round, you're living right.
Losers:
Pittsburgh -- Kenny Pickett at No. 20? I just don't see it.
Tennessee -- Trading away Brown and then drafting Malik Willis feel like steps backward in the brutally difficult AFC.
Chicago -- The Bears needed to draft some help for Justin Fields but that really didn't happen.
Jacksonville -- When you have the No. 1 pick in the NFL, you don't take chances. The Jaguars are gambling on Travon Walker's potential. Maybe it works out.
5. It was Ole Miss' season in a nutshell, really.
The Rebels, down 4-3 in the ninth inning, had the bases loaded with two outs and Tim Elko at the plate. The Rebels' captain, facing Arkansas reliever Brady Tygart for the second time in Sunday's game, got a couple of pitches to hit early in the at-bat. He fouled them off.
Finally, Tygart prevailed, getting Elko to fly out softly to Arkansas center fielder Braydon Webb, giving the Razorbacks a series win and sending Ole Miss back to Oxford with a 7-14 league mark.
Ole Miss will look back on its weekend in Fayetteville with regret. The Rebels won on Friday, 4-2, and had chance after chance after chance on Saturday to blow a game open. Instead, the Rebels were awful with runners in scoring position and Arkansas' Kendall Diggs made them pay, hitting a three-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth.
Sunday was more of the same. Derek Diamond was good enough and the bullpen was solid, but Arkansas hit a pair of two-run home runs and played strong defense en route to the victory.
Arkansas walked 18 hitters in the final two games of the series. That's a free baserunner every inning. Yet Ole Miss scored just six runs in those 18 innings. In those two games, the Rebels were 5-for-34 with runners on base. I mean, sure, credit to the Arkansas pitching staff for their Houdini act, but Ole Miss had to make the Hogs pay for that level of charity and simply didn't.
It's a series Ole Miss could've and probably should've won. Frankly, it's one the Rebels could've swept. But that's not how it works. In the end, Arkansas got the big hit on Saturday and the big out on Sunday and the Razorbacks' march to a home regional at Baum Stadium continued.
Ole Miss still has two home series remaining, starting with one beginning Friday versus Missouri. The Rebels travel to LSU and play host to Texas A&M in the final two weeks of the season. At this point, getting to Hoover for the Southeastern Conference Tournament isn't a certainty and Ole Miss likely needs six wins in its last nine SEC games to have a realistic hope of an NCAA Tournament bid. Basically, Ole Miss must sweep Missouri to have more than a prayer.
It's been a precipitous fall, but the Rebels have been consistent. They've become a pretty good team when Dylan DeLucia pitches and a pretty bad one when he doesn't. They're 0-7 in the middle game of SEC series. They're shaky on defense, home-run dependent and poor -- as previously mentioned -- in clutch time.
There's no Double Decker Festival in town this coming weekend. There's no Grove Bowl. There's no in-state rival. Instead, the worst program in the league is headed to town and there's a decent chance there's not a ton of people at Swayze Field.
Change feels inevitable at this point. Frankly, barring a miracle, I can't envision a scenario in which that's not the end result.
6. It's time for my weekly ranking of the Southeastern Conference baseball teams.
1. Tennessee -- The Vols are great theatre in addition to just becoming a winning machine. They're 19-2 in the league. Nineteen. And. Two.
2. Arkansas -- The Hogs' bullpen is coming into focus, but they don't hit like an Omaha-bound team.
3. Auburn -- The Tigers beat Tennessee once and gave them all they wanted Sunday. They're an interesting group.
4. Georgia -- The Bulldogs were really close to a series win in Baton Rouge but couldn't finish it.
5. LSU -- The Tigers are now 12-9 in the league and beginning to play with that swagger we're all accustomed to.
6. Texas A&M -- The Aggies are the story of the SEC (other than Tennessee's dominance and Ole Miss' struggles). They're 12-9 with three weekends left. No one saw that coming.
7. Vanderbilt -- I keep thinking the Commodores will break out. They keep proving me wrong.
8. Alabama -- I keep waiting for the Tide to collapse. I think that's coming soon.
9. Mississippi State -- The Bulldogs will likely look back ruefully on Sunday. A 10-11 record is much more palatable at this point than 9-12.
10. South Carolina -- The Gamecocks are 9-12 in the league and just 22-20 overall. Those championship seasons feel oh so distant now.
11. Florida -- I don't know how the Gators, with that talent, are 8-13. Maybe it's karma.
12. Ole Miss -- There's not much more to be said. I do wonder if it would've been different if DeLucia had been given the ball to open every series. It feels like wins were given away.
13. Kentucky -- The Wildcats haven't quit, as evidenced by their taking a series in Gainesville.
14. Missouri -- The Tigers will show up in Oxford. It's a series Ole Miss can sweep, sure, but Mizzou is plucky.
7. The second round of the NBA Playoffs began Sunday. Here are my predictions for how it will play out:
Eastern Conference:
Bucks over Celtics in 7 (I know Khris Middleton is out, but I'm just not prepared to bet against Giannis at this point in his career.)
Heat over Sixers in 5 (With Joel Embiid out the first two games, I don't see a path for Philadelphia.)
Western Conference:
Golden State over Memphis in 7 (This might be the Thunder PTSD in me, but when I see Klay Thompson in the playoffs, my heart hurts.)
Mavericks over Suns in 6 (Just a gut feeling here.)
8. Meanwhile, the NHL Playoffs are set to begin. I've watched just enough hockey this year to want to take a shot at predictions, so here we go:
East First Round:
Bruins over Hurricanes in 6
Penguins over Rangers in 7
Panthers over Capitals in 6
Maple Leafs over Lightning in 6
West First Round:
Avalanche over Predators in 6
Wild over Blues in 7
Flames over Stars in 5
Oilers over Kings in 6
East Second Round:
Penguins over Bruins in 6
Maple Leafs over Panthers in 7
West Second Round:
Wild over Avalanche in 7
Flames over Oilers in 7
East Finals:
Maple Leafs over Penguins in 7
West Finals:
Flames over Wild in 7
Stanley Cup Finals:
Flames over Maple Leafs in 7
9. It's time to eat. Here's our resident Parisian chef, Burton Webb, with Taste of the Place, Lesson 133 — Boiled Shrimp and Homemade Cocktail Sauce*
Look, I love some boiled shrimp but getting to the nitty-gritty of it all, it’s not good to boil the shrimp. I’ll explain.
Tidbit #1: I would suggest steaming or poaching the shrimp. You lock in more flavor without overcooking them.
Tidbit #2: If you steam them, you can add more differences that will penetrate the shrimp. Going traditional with garlic, lemon, and pepper can win you some hearts.
Tidbit #3: For the technique of poaching, add the same ingredient to the water. But never let it come to a boil. It should be steaming and this will allow for the flavor to penetrate the shrimp as well without overcooking them.
Tidbit #4: Cocktail sauce is a simple recipe of ketchup, lemon juice, grated horseradish, and Worcestershire sauce. Horseradish is in the same family as wasabi. Just an FYI.
Things you will need:
4/6 People
Preparation time - 5 Minutes
Cook time - 10 Minutes
Chilling time - 30 Minutes
Beer of your choice
Utensils needed:
Worksurface and paring knife
Stovetop
Large saucepot with lid
Spider
Mixing bowl
Spoon
Sheet tray
Ingredients needed:
5 lbs of shrimp
2 cloves garlic
2 Pinches salt
5 Black peppercorns
3 Whole lemons
3 cups ketchup
2 Tsp horseradish grated
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Mise en Plac
Step 1: Fill the pot halfway up with water. Smash the garlic cloves and add to the water along with the salt, peppercorns, and 1 lemon sliced in 2. Bring the water to a slow simmer.
Step 2: Add in your shrimp and turn off the heat. Let poach until rosy in color. About 4 minutes. Take out and place on your sheet tray. Place directly into the fridge to let cool.
Final
Step 3: On to the sauce. Add in the mixing bowl the juice of 1 lemon, the Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, and horseradish. Mix using the spoon. You can add a kick of Tabasco for a more tang flavor. Then you are good to go!
Congrats also for the NFL draft, Rebels!
From the Mississippian in Paris, Bon Appétit!
10. We'll have coverage of Ole Miss baseball, football recruiting, basketball recruiting and whatever else may come up this week on RebelGrove.com. Until then, here are some links of interest to me -- and hopefully, to you -- for your reading pleasure:
NCAA president Mark Emmert steps down; what comes next?
Notre Dame AD Jack Swarbrick says total Division I realignment is ‘inevitable’ - Sports Illustrated
NFL Draft: Kenny Pickett, Drake London favorites for offensive rookie of the year - The Athletic
NFL Draft winners and losers: Giants, Jets hit it big; Titans take step backward
Zion on potential extension: 'I couldn't sign it fast enough'
Re-drafting the NBA's 2021 class: Is Cade Cunningham still No. 1?
Inside the Ben Simmons and Nets saga, and what’s next for All-Star and franchise
How the Hawks went from conference finals to disappointing first-round loss
Nuggets season didn't go as planned, but optimism remains. Just ask Nikola Jokic
The reality of the Cubs’ situation is starting to sink in: 'We’ve got to clean up some things'
A's outfielder Cristian Pache calls his meeting with a young fan 'an honor'
Missing Beau Bear: After tragic loss, a baseball family tries to channel its grief
Ryan Clark Refused To Work With Sage Steele, Lawsuit Alleges
2020 Was Awful Year For Teen Suicide | Kaiser Health News
Student died by suicide after bullying about his vaccination status: suit
Have People Been Given the Wrong Vaccine? ⋆ Brownstone Institute
