The Tennessee Titans made a splash in the third round of the 2022 NFL draft after trading up with the Las Vegas Raiders in order to select Liberty quarterback Malik Willis with the No. 86 overall pick.
The talent that Willis possesses is undeniable. He makes a ton of plays that truly wow you and has moments that make you believe that he can be a legitimate franchise quarterback.
However, he also has plenty of plays that he undoubtedly would like to have back.
Nonetheless, you could make a very strong argument that the Titans are one of the teams that are perfectly suited for him. Willis will have the opportunity to develop with absolutely no pressure on him in 2022, barring a catastrophe.
Malik Willis was a walking highlight reel 🔥 pic.twitter.com/jVF54e3eGy
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) April 30, 2022
Willis’ steepest learning curve is going to come in the cognitive aspect of his game. He played in an extremely simplified offense at Liberty and will likely need some time to adapt to everything that comes with being a professional quarterback.
Having said all that, Willis is a dynamic and exciting athlete who should have all Titans fans excited about the possibility of what he could become.
A quarterback with Malik Willis’ physical tools has never been available at the draft discount the Titans just received.
Huge arm. Big-time athlete. Great kid. Atrium ceiling. Just needs a year.
What an incredible steal — there is zero downside here.pic.twitter.com/xWcZamyeXI
— Thor Nystrom (@thorku) April 30, 2022
The Liberty product is a dual-threat quarterback who has proven that he can hurt you with his legs just as much as he can with his powerful arm.
Earlier at the @seniorbowl…
🚨MALIK WILLIS CONTENT🚨 pic.twitter.com/D3Zy185NGX
— PFF Draft (@PFF_College) February 5, 2022
Over his two years at Liberty, Willis threw for 5,107 yards, 47 touchdowns, 18 interceptions, and had a whopping passer rating of 153.2 after completing 62.4 percent of his passes (377-of-604).
The dynamic quarterback also added 1,822 yards on the ground along with 27 touchdowns on 338 career carries (5.4 yards per carry), including five games over the last two years that saw him rush for 100-plus yards.
Also, according to Pro Football Focus, Willis had the second-highest big-time throw rate the outlet has ever charted (11 percent), including seven in one game against Army.
PFF gave Willis a 91.6 grade for what was a tremendous individual 2021 season that ended with a LendingTree bowl game victory and subsequent MVP award. He led the Flames to a win over Eastern Michigan, completing 13-of-24 passes for 231 yards and three touchdowns, as well as eight carries for 58 yards and two rushing scores.
All in all, this is a fantastic value pick that has very little risk, and potentially franchise-altering rewards if the Titans can exercise patience and maximize the undeniable skillset that Willis possesses.
