Why the Carolina Panthers might gamble on Malik Willis in 2022

Liberty quarterback Malik Willis has the talent that could see the Carolina Panthers take a major gamble in the 2022 NFL Draft.

After opting to pass on Justin Fields and Mac Jones at No. 8 overall in 2021, the Carolina Panthers once again find themselves in quarterback purgatory after Sam Darnold failed to meet expectations. Giving up three draft selections to land the signal-caller from the New York Jets ended up being a mistake and it would take a turnaround of epic proportions to convince fans he is the man to lead the franchise long-term.

With Cam Newton out of contract and unlikely to come back, now might be a good time for the Panthers to put a long-term plan in place. They already have their bridge quarterback in Darnold after picking up his fifth-year option before he’d played a down, so selecting an exciting young recruit from the college ranks is a realistic proposition this time around.

This year’s class isn’t considered to be littered with quality. But there are one or two names that could be worth taking a big gamble on providing they impress during the evaluation process.

Malik Willis is among those expected to hear their name called early this spring. The Liberty signal-caller does have some flaws, but he is a big play waiting to happen and has an X-factor that’s been sorely lacking in Carolina since Newton was in his prime.

Willis might not have the gifts Newton brought to the table. But upon further examination of his college film, there is a lot to like about his chances of potentially becoming a successful NFL starter.

Malik Willis has some traits the Carolina Panthers could benefit from

First of all, Willis can make every throw imaginable. There is some work needed when it comes to making the right decisions more consistently, but the intangibles and potential cannot be ignored.

The signal-caller also represents a dual-threat that has no trouble improvising when a certain play isn’t developing as expected. Someone like Willis is exactly why teams gamble on talent and if the Panthers like what they see, it could see him become a prospect of substantial interest.

There is an obvious need to strengthen the offensive line, which has been ignored for far too long. Much will depend on how Carolina’s recruitment goes in free agency, but if they can land a solid veteran or two, then Willis becomes a more realistic option.

Another element that shouldn’t be overlooked is the Panthers potentially trading back from No. 6 with no Day 2 pick currently. Taking Willis in the top-10 might be a little too controversial – targeting him later in the first round would be less so.

This is a fluid situation and nothing has yet been decided. Scouts are currently watching Willis’ every move closely at the 2022 Senior Bowl, which is the first big step during their assessment regarding a player with undeniable upside.

Carolina has to come up with some solution under center. They might even decide to wait until 2023 when the team could be in line to take someone like C.J. Stroud or Bryce Young considering their strength of schedule next season.

Willis won’t be ready to start right away. However, if the player makes the right developments during his rookie season, then he could become a prominent starter in no time at all.

And that’s why teams will always gamble on quarterback talent.