Getty Malik Willis during a game for Liberty in the 2021 season.
Time is starting to tick down with the 2022 NFL draft just days away from beginning, and the Detroit Lions have seemingly been on the clock for the last handful of months already as it relates to their pick.
Though the Lions have had time to ponder plenty of things, that hasn’t stopped them from circling back and considering multiple different moves ahead of the draft. One decision continues to be mentioned as a possibility, and that’s the possible addition of quarterback Malik Willis to the team.
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Willis is one of the most polarizing players in the entire class, with many believing he is worthy or justified of a top selection while other folks don’t think he should be in the mix with a high pick. The Lions appear to be considering Willis closely as time ticks down on their own selection, though, and a new update proves this to be only more of the case.
According to a weekend update from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the Lions continue to consider Willis with the second-overall pick, and were lining up a final visit with him just ahead of the draft. It’s an intriguing wrinkle to remember with just over a week to go, especially as Fowler admits the team is still open as to who they might take.
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“I’ve asked around and am told they are still figuring that out. Have not solidified what they are doing there. They are looking at about six to eight different players. I believe Malik Willis is not totally off the table here. They have worked on getting him in the building for a late pre-draft visit.They’ve at least talked about that, not sure if that’s solidified as of yet. They did a lot of homework on him at the Senior Bowl. Most evaluators I talk to believe he could be a reach at two, Detroit probably feels the same way. Thy’ve been awfully quiet on the quarterback market. They could play it safe and go edge rusher, but Wills is at least in the mix,” Fowler reported on SportsCenter.
Willis being in the mix will keep Detroit’s options open in a variety of ways. The Lions could roll the dice with the quarterback, but just the illusion of them being intrigued could keep their prospects for a trade down open, or panic a team into dealing up if they love Wills. Detroit having Willis to town this week as Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network revealed will only add to the potential excitement.
“Liberty QB Malik Willis continues his tour of teams in the QB market this week, the final week for Top 30 visits. Willis visits the Lions tomorrow and the Steelers on Wednesday, sources say. Detroit picks No. 2 and Pittsburgh picks No. 20,” Rapoport tweeted.
So far, this looks to be a master class in draft management from general manager Brad Holmes relative to not showing his hand at all and being open for anything.
Lions Doing Diligence With Quarterback Class
In the last few months, the Lions have been making the rounds to pro days as well as having quarterbacks visit them personally. Pitt’s Kenny Pickett is the latest example of this, with the Lions being represented at his pro day while also getting him into the mix with a visit. Detroit has also gotten a look at plenty of the other quarterbacks during the draft process, with names like Desmond Ridder, Sam Howell and Matt Corral also being eyed by the team and their decision makers. Detroit having a chance to see multiple players in the Senior Bowl will help them to make a more confident decision in the end when all is said and done, and if the team does elect to pass on a quarterback and elect to wait on the position until 2023, it will be with no shortage of information.
Willis still being in the mix for the Lions is an intriguing story for the team. The Lions clearly want to make sure they are making the right call with quarterbacks on a variety of fronts, and the team is going to make the best possible move to ensure they are making the right call when all is said and done.
Willis’s College Stats & Highlights
Willis will likely remain one of the most intriguing prospects during the upcoming draft class up until the moment he is selected by any team, and he already has some intriguing numbers to boast heading into that period. 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. He has taken on the look of an intriguing, toolsy quarterback and that remained through the combine and evaluation process.
Willis is at least remaining a player in the mix for the Lions as the stretch run for the draft process begins. Whether that leads to the team taking him or not remains to be seen, but
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Top Quarterback Prospect Remains ‘in the Mix’ for Lions’ First Pick