Carolina Panthers pick No. 40
Malik Willis – QB (Liberty)
Having additional draft picks acquired by trading down twice in the first round gives the Carolina Panthers multiple options. Although this year’s quarterback class wouldn’t be considered the strongest by most analysts, those in power might see one or two as a risk worth taking in this type of scenario.
Carolina’s quarterback room is a mess. The Sam Darnold trade didn’t pay off, Cam Newton’s making the best of a bad situation, and P.J. Walker is nothing more than a solid NFL backup.
Bringing a project on board that could be ready to start by 2023 is a possibility. But team owner David Tepper might have something bigger in mind with some veterans set to be on the move this spring.
Malik Willis fits into this category. The Liberty signal-caller has a ton of talent and there’s just no telling how much the prospect would benefit from learning behind Newton next season if the former NFL MVP sticks around.
Willis has some work to do in terms of decision-making. But he has a live arm, mobility, and velocity on his throws that won’t go unnoticed by scouts across the league during the evaluation process.
The Panthers might decide to wait until 2023 for a quarterback if they don’t land a big fish in the trade market. However, Willis represents intriguing value at this point of the draft.