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Projecting Where Malik Willis Will be Drafted After 2022 NFL Draft Day 1
April 29, 2022
Former Liberty quarterback Malik Willis is the biggest name remaining on the board after he wasn't selected in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft on Thursday.
A team will likely land a gem on Day 2 if they pick Willis. But the question is who will take a chance on him as the draft rolls on.
The teams at the top of the second round have veteran quarterbacks in place already, but picking Willis would secure their future under center while giving him time to develop.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Minnesota Vikings and Tennessee Titans don't have a pressing need to select a quarterback, but any of them would be wise to snag Willis in preparation for life without their current starter.
If Willis gets past those teams, the prime position for him to get drafted would be with the Seattle Seahawks, who own the 40th and 41st picks. After trading Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos this offseason, Seattle is a team in transition. Drew Lock clearly isn't the long-term answer at quarterback, so the Seahawks will likely be looking to use one of their second-rounders on Willis.
But just two picks after the Seahawks sit the Atlanta Falcons at No. 43. Atlanta traded veteran quarterback Matt Ryan to the Indianapolis Colts and brought in Marcus Mariota as a placeholder. The Falcons will be sweating it out to see if Willis falls to them, or they can trade up to try to jump ahead of Seattle. Willis would be worth the gamble as Atlanta's rebuild continues.
The lowest Willis would fall will likely be the Detroit Lions at No. 46 or the Washington Commanders at No. 47. Both teams have veterans in place in Jared Goff and Carson Wentz, respectively, but neither of those players represent long-term building blocks. Willis would solve that problem for either franchise.
