Falcons to Select Liberty QB Malik Willis in NFL Draft, Predicts Peter King
The draft stock of Liberty University's quarterback Malik Willis appears to be on the rise with each passing day. A successful Pro Day resulted in Willis entering the 2022 NFL Draft as the No. 1 prospect at quarterback.
Within the top 10 selections, the Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons are seemingly the only quarterback-needy teams who could make Willis their top pick in the draft. And Peter King of Pro Football Talk believes the Falcons will hold a homecoming for Willis at pick No. 8.
"Lots to be concerned about here, because Willis needs a redshirt year under a smart QB coach like Arthur Smith, and he needs to be schooled in working his progressions most importantly," King said during his Football Morning in America post-Monday morning. "Smith is a patient teacher, and he won’t need to play this year with Marcus Mariota in the saddle for at least 2022."
Atlanta is moving in a direction that could result in King's prediction becoming a reality. The Falcons have scheduled a meeting with Willis as one of their top-30 visits.
Willis led the Liberty Flames to an 8-5 record in 2021. He threw for 2,857 yards and 27 touchdowns. Willis also embodied his skill set as a dual-threat quarterback by rushing for 878 yards for 13 touchdowns on the ground.
"There’s something about Willis’ fit," King said. "He’s a local kid from Roswell High, teammates love him, very positive, and he has a big arm. Owner Arthur Blank could view him as a perfect long-term pilot of his franchise. I’m fascinated with the prospect of this."
Willis confirmed that the Falcons were one of several teams that interviewed him at the NFL Combine. The Panthers also held a pre-draft interview with Willis. Carolina currently sits at the No. 6 spot entering the draft.
