2022 NFL Draft: Senior Bowl Will Be A Huge Week For Malik Willis
It will be a huge week for Malik Willis down at the Senior Bowl, and he could change the QB landscape of the 2022 NFL Draft.
It’s been overstated by now, but the 2022 NFL Draft quarterback class is a complicated one. We’ve gotten used to sure fire number one picks and others that are top 10 locks, and here we find ourselves with a group that feels deeper than it is great at the top. There are a select few fighting for the first round, and it’s clear that NFL teams are high on enough for the 2022 NFL Draft to look like a normal year in terms of the number that will go in the first round.
One of those passers is Liberty’s Malik Willis, who is a talented players with several tools. He has impressive velocity and arm strength, can make things happen out of structure, and has his moments as a powerful and elusive runner. Willis has improved in terms of operating within the structure of the offense, but there’s a ways to go when talking about reaching peak efficiency and quick processing.
What makes Willis’ evaluation complicated is that while he tends to bail pockets quickly, the Liberty offensive line isn’t a very good one. There are instances where he can’t get through progressions quick enough because of it, like in the game against Matt Corral and Mississippi. Liberty was outclassed in the trenches all day. Now, there are instances where Willis needs to work quicker, as some sacks are placed on his shoulders.
This is where the Senior Bowl comes in. While it’s hard to judge quarterbacks when throwing on air, it will be interesting to see how Willis fares in drills in terms of footwork and placement in the one-on-one drills. How he commands the huddle and offense as the week goes on will be interesting as well.
In the game, he will be under the same conditions as his fellow quarterbacks, and that will be the most telling. Obviously, new verbiage and a new offense isn’t easy to pick up in a week, but eyes will be on the game to see how Malik Willis does with progressions, placement, and work within structure.
It’s going to be a big week in Mobile, one that could determine a lot regarding the 2022 NFL Draft. A strong week down there could paint a clearer picture on the class, and maybe elevate the stock of some passers, including Malik Willis.