One of the tried and true ways to find out an NFL team’s interest in a draft prospect is to talk to the player’s collegiate head coach. That coach is invariably an indispensable resource for information on the player, and teams routinely talk to the coach to find out whatever they need to know.
So it raises an eyebrow when Liberty head coach Hugh Freeze leaves out the Detroit Lions when listing off teams he’s talked with about his standout QB, Malik Willis. Freeze did just that in a recent appearance on The Rich Eisen Show when asked about what teams were showing interest in Willis.
Freeze kicks off the segment by admitting, “I have no clue on this one (Willis’ draft stock)”. He then gets into the teams he recalls being in-depth with about Willis.
“I know the teams that have spent an enormous amount of time visiting with me, whether it’s Carolina or Pittsburgh or Atlanta,” Freeze told Eisen. “All of those have spent — the Seahawks — a lot of time with us, but it’s hard for me to keep up.”
He then noted Willis’ upcoming pre-draft visit tour, prominently mentioning the Philadelphia Eagles
For all the speculation about the Lions possibly taking Willis with the No. 2 overall pick, Freeze’s admission casts more doubt on the connection many have made in the draft cycle. When paired with head coach Dan Campbell’s statement that the No. 2 pick needs to be an immediate starter, it’s looking less and less like the Willis-to-Detroit dreams many Lions fans harbor will come true.
However (said in a Stephen A. Smith voice), Freeze did acknowledge that he spoke to “everybody” about Willis at Liberty’s recent pro day, which the Lions sent director of player personnel Lance Newmark to attend. And the Lions have a distinct advantage in knowing about Willis after coaching him for a week at the Senior Bowl, so probing the coach for information on what the Lions themselves saw firsthand in Mobile might be overkill. It could also be part of an elaborate smokescreen by Lions GM Brad Holmes to keep the team’s intentions unknown and drive up potential trade interest.
