Malik Willis: 3 things to know about Tennessee Titans third-round NFL Draft pick
The Tennessee Titans selected Liberty quarterback Malik Willis with the No. 86 overall pick in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Here are three things to know about Willis.
Mr. Big-time
The thing scouts love most about Willis is his arm, and for good reason. Over the past few months, the 22-year-old signal-caller has gained attention at both the senior bowl and his pro day thanks to a plethora of jaw-dropping throws. From velocity to distance there’s a lot to like, and not just when he’s in a t-shirt and shorts. According to Pro Football Focus, no player in the nation made more “Big-Time throws” than Willis last season. Big-Time throws are defined as a downfield pass into a tight window, a high value play opportunity for the offense, or a pass that shows excellent timing or accuracy. There are other quarterbacks in this draft who’ve played in bigger games, against stiffer competition. However, when it comes to arm talent, it’s hard to find a player that offers more in the 2022 draft class than Willis.
You can run, but you can’t hide!
While he has a big-time arm, Willis also possesses the ability to create opportunities with his legs. Last fall, Willis led all FBS quarterbacks in rushing, gaining 944 yards on the ground and finding the end zone 14 times. Perhaps part of a reason he ran so much was because he didn’t have a choice – Willis was also sacked an NCAA-leading 51 times in 2021. However, as we saw last postseason, the notion of quarterbacks simply standing in the pocket and waiting for receivers to get open is on its way out. Mobility is the key. The question for Willis is, can he take the two best parts of his game – his arm and his legs – and put them together to succeed. One of the top areas of concern scouts have for the Liberty standout is his ability to throw on the run. When Willis is on the run, things like footwork and accuracy have taken a bit of a hit. Those things will certainly need to be fixed as he starts his career at the next level.
The few and the proud
Whenever Willis takes the field in his first NFL game, he will join a short list of players from his alma mater that did the same before him. In the league’s 102-year history, Liberty University has only had 20 players make an NFL roster, with just eight of them being selected in the draft. Prior to Willis, the most recent Flame to hear his name called on draft day was cornerback Walt Aikens, who was picked 125th overall by the Miami Dolphins in 2014. Former Steelers’ tight end Eric Green is the only other player in school history to be selected in the first round, going 21st overall to the black & gold in 1990.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Malik Willis: What to know about Tennessee Titans third-round pick
