Malik Willis Falls To Third Round In NFL Draft

Just a week ago, Malik Willis was the betting favorite to be the first quarterback taken in the 2022 NFL Draft. Instead, the Liberty graduate was the third quarterback off the board, waiting until the third round and the 86th pick until finally being chosen by the Tennessee Titans.

For months, Willis and Pitt’s Kenny Pickett were widely considered to be the top two quarterbacks in the 2022 NFL Draft class. While Pickett was deemed more pro-ready, Willis was seen as having more potential, drawing comparisons to Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert for his athleticism and intellect.

Still, Willis is far from a sure thing, which possibly explains his shocking drop into the third round, taken 66 picks after Pickett was selected by Pittsburgh Steelers. After failing to crack the starting lineup at Auburn, Willis transferred to Liberty University. Though Willis posted impressive stats against lesser competition, he struggled in Power 5 matchups against Ole Miss and a thoroughly mediocre Syracuse squad.

Fortunately for Willis, he landed in a good spot to develop, as veteran Ryan Tannehill will likely be the Titans’ starter for the 2022 campaign.