NFL Draft 2022: Tennessee Titans finally end Malik Willis' wait, picking the former Roswell quarterback in Round 3

The widely projected first-round pick goes 86th overall to the Titans.

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Malik Willis was one of the most-discussed players during the first-round broadcast Thursday night during the NFL Draft.

But the former Liberty and Roswell High School quarterback went home that night in Las Vegas still without an NFL team. He showed no signs of being discouraged.

Then he had to wait another round and another few hours Friday before getting the call.

Willis' wait ended Friday, as the Tennessee Titans selected Willis in the third round, 86th overall.

LOOK: WILLIS' GRANDMA GOES VIRAL AT DRAFT

Willis' path isn’t the tale of a five-star recruit turned college superstar who’s finally making it to the big stage. At both the high school and college levels, he was a late bloomer.

By the end of his senior season — during which Willis totaled 2,500-plus passing yards, 1,000-plus rushing yards and 37 touchdowns as Roswell went 14-1 and fell just short of winning a state title — Willis had done enough to earn an offer from Auburn.

After transferring, the average stat line for Willis in his two seasons at Liberty was 220 passing yards and two touchdowns in addition to about 70 yards and one touchdown on the ground.

Now he's an NFL quarterback, possibly heading into the league with a chip on his shoulder.