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It seems like every time we talk about the 2022 NFL Draft with the Pittsburgh Steelers, we have to bring up the quarterback position. This is the first time since 2004 that an early quarterback being selected is a realistic possibility for the team, and they aren’t being shy about it.
Both Head Coach Mike Tomlin and General Manager Kevin Colbert have been in attendance for several of the top quarterback’s Pro Days, as well as having several of them scheduled to come in for a visit between now and the draft. The Steelers studying this quarterback class this hard definitely lends one to believe they might be targeting one early.
One of the darlings of Steeler Nation this pre-draft season has been Liberty quarterback Malik Willis, who could end up being the first quarterback taken this year due to his immense upside. However, is he really worth a first round pick?
Steelers 2022 NFL Draft prospect, quarterback Malik Willis | Jonathan Bachman / Getty Images
In general, this is a weak quarterback class compared to some of the years past, and it is an exceptionally good class at nearly every other position. Saying that, Willis isn’t even the consensus #1 QB for this year’s class, which isn’t ideal since this class is weaker generally speaking.
When considering if Willis is worth taking in the first round or not, you have to look at what he has accomplished, what he does well, and where he struggles.
After starting his career at Auburn, Willis transferred to Liberty in 2019 and became their starting QB in 2020. He tallied 2,250 passing yards, 20 touchdowns to 6 interceptions, and another 944 rushing yards with 14 rushing touchdowns. He did that while leading his team to a 10-1 record and a Cure Bowl victory.
He put together another successful season in 2021 where he threw for 2,857 yards, 27 passing touchdowns to 12 interceptions. Similarly to 2020, he added 878 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns demonstrating his exceptional rushing ability. He put up those numbers while leading Liberty to a solid 8-5 record, as well as another bowl game victory in the LendingTree Bowl.
Now that we’ve looked at his college accomplishments (which are pretty solid), let’s dive into his pros and cons as a player.
Willis has a big arm which could be the best in the class. He has displayed good accuracy both from within the pocket and on the move. His athleticism is elite, legit threat as a runner. He also managed to elevate the play of his teammates and showed to be a great leader getting his team to feed off his energy.
However, while he has all the physical tools, there is still a lot of refinement needed. He needs to work on his mechanics to get them consistent, especially his lower half. If his first read isn’t there, he has a tendency to leave the pocket early without pressure being there. Willis almost has a superhero complex where he feels he needs to always make the big play, which will lead to several negative plays in the NFL. He would be best served sitting a full season to work on his weak areas where others are more NFL ready.
Now, with all that said, it is clear Willis isn’t a finished product, as most quarterbacks aren’t. But, in such a loaded draft class, it isn’t ideal to sit your first round pick for an entire season to make sure they’re set up for success.
We went through the potential reasons to make Willis a first round pick, or to pass on him that early. So now let’s compare him to the last two quarterback classes and see where he would rank with them.
Malik Willis in the 2021 QB Class
So in the 2021 NFL Draft, Willis would’ve only been the 6th ranked quarterback based on my rankings. That likely would land him somewhere early in the 2nd round in 2021, or perhaps the tail end of Day 1 if a team traded up for him. Now, 2021 was an exceptionally good year for QBs heading into the draft.
Now, let’s go back another year and see how he would compare to the 2020 class.
Malik Willis in the 2020 QB Class
I would rank Willis and Jordan Love as more of a 4A and 4B in the 2020 class, as both are guys with top notch physical tools that needed some time to refine their game once entering the NFL. Willis being slightly higher, that would likely mean he gets drafted near the back end of the first round like Love did in 2020.
After comparing where Willis would likely stand in the last two quarterback classes, which were better QB classes, but worse draft classes as a whole, he likely belongs at the end of the first round or first half of the second round in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Even though it looks as though he may not be worth a high first round pick based on the quarterback he is today, that isn’t to say he still can’t develop into an elite NFL quarterback. Out of any of the 2022 QB prospects, he definitely has the highest ceiling, but likely the lowest floor.
What do you think, Steeler Nation? Do you think Malik Willis is worth a first round pick? Let us know in the comment section below!
#SteelerNation
Support SteelerNation by clicking here to read the story..
Both Head Coach Mike Tomlin and General Manager Kevin Colbert have been in attendance for several of the top quarterback’s Pro Days, as well as having several of them scheduled to come in for a visit between now and the draft. The Steelers studying this quarterback class this hard definitely lends one to believe they might be targeting one early.
One of the darlings of Steeler Nation this pre-draft season has been Liberty quarterback Malik Willis, who could end up being the first quarterback taken this year due to his immense upside. However, is he really worth a first round pick?
Steelers 2022 NFL Draft prospect, quarterback Malik Willis | Jonathan Bachman / Getty Images
Steelers should beware…
In general, this is a weak quarterback class compared to some of the years past, and it is an exceptionally good class at nearly every other position. Saying that, Willis isn’t even the consensus #1 QB for this year’s class, which isn’t ideal since this class is weaker generally speaking.
When considering if Willis is worth taking in the first round or not, you have to look at what he has accomplished, what he does well, and where he struggles.
After starting his career at Auburn, Willis transferred to Liberty in 2019 and became their starting QB in 2020. He tallied 2,250 passing yards, 20 touchdowns to 6 interceptions, and another 944 rushing yards with 14 rushing touchdowns. He did that while leading his team to a 10-1 record and a Cure Bowl victory.
He put together another successful season in 2021 where he threw for 2,857 yards, 27 passing touchdowns to 12 interceptions. Similarly to 2020, he added 878 rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns demonstrating his exceptional rushing ability. He put up those numbers while leading Liberty to a solid 8-5 record, as well as another bowl game victory in the LendingTree Bowl.
Now that we’ve looked at his college accomplishments (which are pretty solid), let’s dive into his pros and cons as a player.
Willis has a big arm which could be the best in the class. He has displayed good accuracy both from within the pocket and on the move. His athleticism is elite, legit threat as a runner. He also managed to elevate the play of his teammates and showed to be a great leader getting his team to feed off his energy.
However, while he has all the physical tools, there is still a lot of refinement needed. He needs to work on his mechanics to get them consistent, especially his lower half. If his first read isn’t there, he has a tendency to leave the pocket early without pressure being there. Willis almost has a superhero complex where he feels he needs to always make the big play, which will lead to several negative plays in the NFL. He would be best served sitting a full season to work on his weak areas where others are more NFL ready.
Now, with all that said, it is clear Willis isn’t a finished product, as most quarterbacks aren’t. But, in such a loaded draft class, it isn’t ideal to sit your first round pick for an entire season to make sure they’re set up for success.
We went through the potential reasons to make Willis a first round pick, or to pass on him that early. So now let’s compare him to the last two quarterback classes and see where he would rank with them.
Malik Willis in the 2021 QB Class
- Trevor Lawrence
- Justin Fields
- Zach Wilson
- Trey Lance
- Mac Jones
- Malik Willis
- Kyle Trask
So in the 2021 NFL Draft, Willis would’ve only been the 6th ranked quarterback based on my rankings. That likely would land him somewhere early in the 2nd round in 2021, or perhaps the tail end of Day 1 if a team traded up for him. Now, 2021 was an exceptionally good year for QBs heading into the draft.
Now, let’s go back another year and see how he would compare to the 2020 class.
Malik Willis in the 2020 QB Class
- Joe Burrow
- Tua Tagovailoa
- Justin Herbert
- Malik Willis
- Jordan Love
- Jalen Hurts
I would rank Willis and Jordan Love as more of a 4A and 4B in the 2020 class, as both are guys with top notch physical tools that needed some time to refine their game once entering the NFL. Willis being slightly higher, that would likely mean he gets drafted near the back end of the first round like Love did in 2020.
After comparing where Willis would likely stand in the last two quarterback classes, which were better QB classes, but worse draft classes as a whole, he likely belongs at the end of the first round or first half of the second round in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Even though it looks as though he may not be worth a high first round pick based on the quarterback he is today, that isn’t to say he still can’t develop into an elite NFL quarterback. Out of any of the 2022 QB prospects, he definitely has the highest ceiling, but likely the lowest floor.
What do you think, Steeler Nation? Do you think Malik Willis is worth a first round pick? Let us know in the comment section below!
#SteelerNation
Support SteelerNation by clicking here to read the story..
