University of Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett isn’t the only quarterback picking up steam for the Carolina Panthers’ first-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft. He now has himself a formidable challenger, at least here in February, in Malik Willis.
Liberty University’s star passer squeezes his way into this year’s sixth overall pick in yet another mock. This time, it’s Draft Wire’s Luke Easterling connecting the big Senior Bowl winner to head coach Matt Rhule and company.
“This year’s quarterback class is still a mystery in many ways, but after whiffing at the game’s most important position last year (passing on Justin Fields, trading this year’s second-round pick for Sam Darnold), the Panthers can’t afford to do it again,” Easterling writes. “Willis’ rare arm talent and explosiveness/athleticism give him a sky-high ceiling.”
That ceiling is what currently makes Willis such an enticing prospect for Carolina. His dual-threat tools—the rocket launcher attached to his right shoulder and the giddy-up on the ground—helped the 6-foot-1, 215-pounder to 47 passing touchdowns and 27 rushing touchdowns over the past two seasons.
It’s Willis’ rawness, however, that could give Rhule pause—especially in a season where the Panthers have to turn it around in order for him to keep his job. But could the kid’s promise—in what could be a home run of a pick—wind up promising the soon-to-be third-year head coach a fourth campaign?
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