By Shaun Chornobroff August 12, 2022 8:41 am

By Shaun Chornobroff | August 12, 2022 8:41 am ET

Heading into the NFL Draft, there may not have been a more intriguing prospect than Malik Willis. Far from refined, but beaming with talent, the Liberty quarterback was projected to be a top-10 pick in a draft that was perceived to lack NFL level starters at the position. 

Last night Willis, the Tennessee Titans third-round draft pick after a monumental draft day slide, started the team’s preseason opener against the Ravens with Ryan Tannehill being inactive. This gave his skeptics and biggest fans the first glimpse of him as an NFL quarterback. 

Honestly, he performed just as he was billed. In a game that saw the leagues premier dual-threat quarterback, Lamar Jackson, inactive, Willis showed shades of being one of the sports best with his natural arm-talent and scrambling ability. However, as much as his strengths showed, he still looked like a rookie in moments and has growing to do. 

After not completing his first three passes and having to deal with a fumble from his running back on Tennessee’s second possession, Willis settled into the game quite nicely. The 6-foot-1, nearly 220 pound signal caller finished 6-of-11 for 107 yards and no interceptions while also rushing the ball five times for 38 yards and a score. 

The touchdown was one of Willis’ most impressive reps of the night, as he started to roll to his right and evaded a pass-rush bearing down on him by reversing field and using his athleticism to beat the defense. 

Malik Willis had an impressive debut 🔥

Will he take over as the #Titans starter this year? pic.twitter.com/mKSRLbGHsR

It was the epitome of what Willis can be capable of week in and week out if he reaches his potential. 

In addition to the score, Willis had an impressive 17-yard scramble, as well as a 48-yard completion to Racey McMath. 

“He kept some plays alive with his legs,” Titans Head Coach Mike Vrabel said of the young quarterback, via the Tennessean. “We just have to be able to combine some of that with making great decisions when guys are open and being decisive and accurate with the football.”

Most impressive was a sidearm completion to Tommy Hudson in the second quarter. Sure the play only resulted in five-yards, but the situational wherewithal to change the arm-slot of the release to beat a rapidly incoming pass-rusher is not only a tool that will help any quarterback in this league, but is not something I expected him to bring out in his first NFL game. 

It’s a moment I was extremely impressed by and something, much like a lot of what I saw last night, I look forward to seeing more of as Willis grows at the position. 

Considering it was Willis’ first preseason game, I expected him to have more bad. He misfired on his first three passes with the first two being especially painful, one of which should have been intercepted. 

As a whole, the talent radiated, but so did the inexperience and the past ability to be able to rely on your athleticism. In the game Willis was playing quarterback, but didn’t seem to exude the comfort and decisiveness one wants in their franchise signal caller, relying too heavily on his natural gifts and not enough on his arm and processing of the game. 

“You’ve just got to know when you need it and when you don’t,” Willis said of his rushing antics . “That’s what this whole process is about. That’s the really cool thing about it. I’m blessed in many ways, but it’s about learning when to use what and just playing the game.”

Vrabel said Willis was “ok” in his first professional game and wished his young quarterback threw the ball more when his receivers were open. 

“We’ll evaluate that and see if it’s a timing issue or what’s going on,” Vrabel said. “But [I] just wanted to get him out there and see how he responded. He did OK. There were some good plays and obviously some where we’re going to have to look at the timing of the release or if we’re making the right decision.”

Overall, there were some negative moments, but Willis showed resilience fighting back from a shaky start to put together some comprehensive drives and showing his natural talent in the process. 

Luckily, he’s not expected to overtake Ryan Tannehill from day-one and has time to be nourished. However, one thing was clear, Tennessee has something. 

Just got told by someone that Liberty QB Malik Willis is a top QB in next years draft and while I’m not there yet, I will say this play is an incredible display of natural talent. #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/BMxjPj0OPw

— Shaun Chornobroff (@SChornobroff) May 9, 2021

I’m not saying they have a clearcut superstar, but there are natural gifts that are worth investing in and Willis has the upside to be a fun quarterback in this league for a longtime if the pieces of a very dynamic puzzle are put together properly. 

Tennessee next takes the field on Aug. 20th against the Buccaneers at 7:00 p.m. on their home field. 

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