The long wait is finally over for Liberty quarterback Malik Willis. After seeing Pittsburgh select Kenny Pickett at No. 20 overall and then waiting for what seemed like forever until Desmond Ridder was selected by the Falcons at No. 74, Willis finally heard his named called by the Titans with the 86th overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft. 
After sitting out for a year, due to his transfer from Auburn, Willis was named the Flames’ starting quarterback in his first eligible season at Liberty and decided to set college football world on fire. In his first season at the helm of the Flames’ offense, Willis had eye-popping numbers, despite the COVID-shortened season. In ten games, Willis completed 64.2% of his passes for 2,250 yards, tossing 20 touchdowns to 6 interceptions. He tacked on a casual 944 yards rushing, nearly averaging 100 yards per game, along with 14 additional touchdowns on the ground. The Flames were ranked as high as 21 throughout the season with their only loss being a one-point road defeat at NC State. In their bowl game, they were matched up with fellow small-market phenom Coastal Carolina in an exciting overtime affair that left Willis victorious over the Chanticleers.
Willis decided to return for his redshirt-senior year and led the Flames to an impressive 8-5 against a tougher schedule than the prior year. Despite constant pressure from a less than reliable offensive line, Willis put up career passing numbers throwing for 2,857 yards with 27 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He again added a huge component on the ground, racking up 878 yards and 13 rushing touchdowns.
The obvious asset that Willis brings to the table over the other quarterbacks in the Draft is his legs. He has a quick burst and excellent vision on designed runs and options. The Cardinals, Ravens, 49ers, and plenty of other teams have shown that an offense that incorporates run-pass-option plays (RPOs) can have a ton of success in the NFL if you have a quarterback who can run it effectively.
That being said, Willis is a quarterback, and a good one at that. He’s impressed NFL teams in meetings with his intelligence and ability to pick up on NFL concepts. He has elite arm strength and flashes the ability to fit the ball in tight windows. There are some technique/coaching issues that may help him improve his consistency and touch. He can take some gas off the ball effectively, but needs to improve the arch he puts in the ball’s flight. There are quite a few things for Willis to improve on, but he has so many tools already that the potential from these improvements gives him the highest ceiling of any quarterback in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Luckily for Willis, he’ll have some time to develop and improve those issues as he waits patiently behind Titans’ starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill, who is under contract for the next two seasons.
Great value, end of the third and possibly the best QB in the draft.
Every draft has a player that generates lots of media noise but little team interest.
The Gangster Capitalism podcast did a very interesting series on Liberty U. Not much related to the football team, but it sure isn’t a place I’d want a young person I cared about to attend.
Yea those Christian values are so terrible let’s have them go someplace sufficiently woke where they’re not allowed to disagree with anything they’re taught.
I’m a Christian myself, albeit not a Liberty-style fundamentalist; that is not the problem.
The problem is that Jerry Falwell Jr. turned the school leadership into a cesspool of lies and nepotism and corruption and politics. And systematically covered up sexual assault.