NFL Draft 2022 Props: When will QB Malik Willis be selected and which team will take him?

Will Willis be the first QB selected? Where will he land?

The 2022 NFL Draft isn’t flush with quarterback talent. There’s no Trevor Lawrence or Andrew Luck standing as a surefire No. 1 pick. There might not even be a passer selected in the top five despite needy teams like the Lions, Texans and Giants all holding high-value picks.

When we see our first QB drafted could all depend on how teams judge Malik Willis. The Auburn transfer torched a mostly-underwhelming slate of competition in two seasons at Liberty, showcasing a rocket arm and the speed to escape collapsing pockets. He’s currently the favorite (-180) to be the first quarterback drafted, ahead of Pitt star Kenny Pickett (+140), per Tipico.

Just where Willis ends up is tougher to gauge. Tipico Sportsbook currently lists six destinations at +750 odds or shorter:

  • Carolina Panthers (+240)
  • Pittsburgh Steelers (+320)
  • Detroit Lions (+380)
  • Seattle Seahawks (+380)
  • Atlanta Falcons (+400)
  • New Orleans Saints (+750)

[tipico]

Any would be a reasonable landing spot for a player with a high ceiling but also a low floor in the NFL. So what makes sense here?

The Pick: Malik Willis as the first QB off the board (-180) and drafted by the Carolina Panthers (+240). Carolina fits a pattern of desperate need — it just announced Sam Darnold is its current starter — and opportunity at the sixth overall pick. Matt Rhule is coaching for his job in Charlotte. A season in which Willis shows even the slightest flashes of being a franchise quarterback could be enough to keep him employed in 2023.

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