It took a lot longer than expected, but Liberty quarterback Malik Willis finally has an NFL team.
Willis was not taken in the first or second round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He was not the first or second quarterback taken, as Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett and Cincinnati’s Desmond Ritter went in front of him, going to the Pittsburgh Steelers and Atlanta Falcons, respectively.
But with the 85th overall selection and 21st pick of the third round, Ritter was selected by the Tennessee Titans.
Finally, QB Malik Willis has been drafted.
Willis goes to the Tennessee Titans in the 3rd round at pick No. 86. 🏈 #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/qaeTQf5NgV
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) April 30, 2022
Willis’ slide was one of the biggest plots of the first three round of the draft. Naturally, when he was finally taken, it drew a big reaction.
Malik Willis falls into third round, where #Titans rescue him from draft obscurity and add an intriguing element to offense and potential game plans. Shrewd pick by team with strong HC, winning culture and solid organization. Nashville loves redemption stories. #NFLDraft2022
— David Haugh (@DavidHaugh) April 30, 2022
The Tennessee Titans need Ryan Tannehill to do what Alex Smith did for Patrick Mahomes. Play well, lead and be a resource for Malik Willis. Then turn things over to Willis after a year if he develops.#NFLDraft
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) April 30, 2022
Never thought the #Titans would have a shot at Malik Willis this late. Bet they didn't either. Gladly wrong about this one.
This draft was a hard pill to swallow, but the vision is now clear. Remake the offense for 2023. Shed big salaries after the year and build.
— TicTacTitans (@TicTacTitans) April 30, 2022
https://twitter.com/thorku/status/1520231223288860672
Malik Willis and Treylon Burks and Derrick Henry. I would not like to try and tackle the Titans players man
— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) April 30, 2022
The #Titans are picking Malik Willis. Oh boy, Ryan better wake up and show up to the offseason program.
— Armando Salguero (@ArmandoSalguero) April 30, 2022
While Willis was obviously relieved to be drafted, he maintained a good sense of humor about his slide.
— Malik Willis (@malikwillis) April 30, 2022
Willis is a threat with both his arm and legs. As a senior at Liberty, Willis completed 61.1% of his passes for 2,857 yards with 27 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He added 878 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground. As a junior in 2020, he completed 64.2% of his passes for 2,260 yards with 20 touchdowns and six interceptions, while running for 944 yards with 14 touchdowns. He also had an impressive Pro Day in March.
He’s going to a winning situation. The Titans have had six straight winning seasons, have made the playoffs in each of the last three seasons and in four of the last five.
Unlike Pickett and Ridder, Willis likely won’t have much of a chance to play as a rookie. As long as Ryan Tannehill remains healthy, Willis will likely spend much of the 2022 season on the bench. But given where he was taken, Willis is a low-risk, high-reward option for the Titans that could pay massive dividends in 2023 and beyond.
