Getty Malik Willis following Liberty's bowl game in 2021.
The Detroit Lions get to coach the American team at the 2022 Senior Bowl, and one of the biggest perks of the experience for the team will be getting a closer look at the quarterback class.
This year’s class may not be deep, but it does have some intriguing talents, especially at the game. Alabama will be loaded with quarterbacks looking to make a case to teams that need signal callers such as Detroit, and the Lions will be all-eyes and getting to work with a few of those players.
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The Senior Bowl revealed on Thursday, January 13 that the Lions would be coaching Liberty quarterback Malik Willis, UNC quarterback Sam Howell and Western Kentucky quarterback Bailey Zappe.
🚨QUARTERBACKS🚨 Roster of QBs for the American team coached by the @Lions – @malikwillis @Sam7Howell @baileyzappe04 #TheDraftStartsInMOBILE™️
In addition to Willis, Howell and Zappe, the Lions will get a chance to look at the quarterbacks on the other side, which include Kenny Pickett, Desmond Ridder and Carson Strong. All of those players have been seen as important figures in the class this year, especially Pickett and Ridder as two potential first-round picks. With a solid week, both could lock that status up.
The quarterbacks Detroit will oversee, meanwhile, could get firmly on NFL radars with a big week while also impressing the Lions first and foremost.
Willis, Howell and Zappe’s Stats
Willis will likely be one of the most intriguing prospects to play during the rest of the 2021 college football season, and he already has some intriguing numbers to boast. Ahead of his senior year on the field, Willis has put up 2,319 passing yards and 23 touchdowns. He also has 1,253 rushing yards and 16 scores on the ground to his credit. Here’s some highlights:
Thus far this year, Willis has been no slouch with the numbers either, putting up 27 touchdowns to just 12 interceptions with 2,857 yards passing through the 2021 season.
In terms of Howell, he has been an interesting potential mock draft selection for the team. He had thrown for 7,227 yards in his career and 68 touchdowns with just 14 interceptions entering this season. In 2021, Howell has thrown for 3,056 yards and 24 touchdowns. As a result, he is trending toward being one of the better pro prospects that can be picked up next year. No longer is he considered a top 10 selection, but could be lurking as a potential first-round pick or second-round selection.
Here’s a look at some of Howell’s highlights from 2020:
Zappe is not one to be slept on either, though he has a small-school profile. The Hilltoppers quarterback put up a gaudy 5,967 yards and 62 touchdowns this season and isn’t adverse to throwing the ball, which could make for an interesting potential pro career.
2022 Senior Bowl Primer
Always an annual tradition for the league ahead of the NFL Combine as well as the unofficial kickoff to the pre-draft process, the Senior Bowl will once again play out in Alabama this year. It’s one of the first events of the offseason where teams and players meet, and a key cog in the offseason evaluation period for the team.
This year’s game is scheduled for February 5 and will played at Hancock Whitney Stadium at University of South Alabama in Mobile. It will be televised by NFL Network starting at 2:30 p.m. EST, allowing fans to get an up close look at some of the players who could be joining their team in the future.
For Lions fans, this game will take on an added level of significance in 2022. Not only will the fans get a chance to look at players who could join the mix, but they will get a closer look at some of their coaching staff working hard on the field to lead those players. That includes a quarterback class which could be looking to impress a team like Detroit that might want a young quarterback to build around.
Coaching the game and getting a look at the quarterbacks will be a huge advantage for the Lions, especially given they’ve been tied to a few of these names in mock drafts already.
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