Ranking the 5 quarterbacks Carolina Panthers met with at the NFL Combine

Malik Willis – Liberty

My personal favorite quarterback after watching hours and hours of tape is Malik Willis. I have come to the conclusion that he has the best shot at being a franchise quarterback at the next level, and has shown everything he needs to be thrusted into the top-10 of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Willis is an incredibly gifted athlete, consistently popping off rare traits on tape. Escaping defenders inside and outside of the pocket, launching rocket balls off platform directly into receivers’ hands 50+ yards downfield, and so much more. He has put that all together in a tantalizing dual threat prospect in the new age NFL.

His arm is the strongest of this QB class, consistently showing power through any throwing position and ability to push a vertical passing game. His release is quick and snappy, allowing Willis to rip the football off platform and on time regardless of the pressure in his face or his position outside of the pocket.

The signal-caller combines that with blazing athleticism and speed leaving defenses flustered as they constantly looked for ways to contain Willis, only for the prospect to escape and make a big play with his legs or arm. It was so much fun to watch and probably a nightmare for defensive coordinators.

Liberty became instantly offensively dominant once Willis transferred from Auburn, accounting for 74 total touchdowns and a record of 18-6 in his two years stint under Hugh Freeze. He showed a high football IQ with an ability to quickly pick up the offense and use his abilities to advantage in an electric style of offense that took full advantage of the player’s skillset – something that the team who drafts him will certainly look to replicate.

Despite this, Willis has quite a few dings on his scouting profile. He would often time leave clean pockets for the sake of running, and would also drop his eyes instead of extending plays for downfield passes, which is certainly something he will need to adjust at the next level.

Willis got caught up in playing a lot of “hero ball” where he would do everything in his power to make a big play as opposed to taking fewer risks or knowing when to throw the ball away, leading to his high number of turnovers this last year (13). He also needs to work on his footwork due to getting a little too comfortable setting his feet and pushing into the throw.

I really don’t worry too much about his performance against higher level teams as the talent gap was very wide, and Willis still played relatively well regardless of what he stat line says.

If Willis can put everything together and a coaching staff can mold him correctly, he has a shot at being one of the new dominant quarterbacks in the NFL. One that everyone is looking for.

He would be well worth the No. 6 overall selection owned by the Carolina Panthers. Whether he ends up here is another matter.

• Pro Comparison: Kyler Murray
• Projection: Top-10 pick