An early dose of 2022 NFL mock drafts have already given the Carolina Panthers a handful of different quarterback prospects. We’ve seen them linked to Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett, Mississippi’s Matt Corral and North Carolina’s Sam Howell.
Now, a new challenger has entered the arena.
In draft analyst Chris Trapasso’s latest mock for CBS Sports, the Panthers invest their sixth overall pick in Liberty University passer Malik Willis.
“Sam Darnold is not the guy, Panthers,” Trapasso notes. “Willis has a rocket arm and insane athleticism but just needs time to fine-tune his decision-making skills.”
Head coach Matt Rhule might not have time to wait for that fine-tuning, but owner David Tepper certainly would. Willis’ upside—given those aforementioned tools—could eventually see him as one of the league’s most potent dual-threat quarterbacks.
Over the past two seasons, the 6-foot-1, 215-pounder has tossed for a combined 5,107 yards, 47 touchdowns and 18 interceptions at an average of 8.5 yards per attempt. He’s also run for 1,822 yards and 27 scores in that time.
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