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Malik Willis was selected by the Tennessee Titans with the 86th overall pick in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft. The dual-threat quarterback from the Liberty Flames was projected by most draft experts to be a first-round pick, but he fell a bit on draft day.
The Titans drafted a high upside quarterback with excellent value for his draft position. Malik Willis is one of the most exciting prospects from this draft class because of his special athletic abilities. Here are three things to know about the Titans' new rookie quarterback.
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3 important things to know about Malik Willis following the 2022 NFL Draft
#1 - Willis forced the most missed tackles in the entire country
Willis recorded 944 rushing yards during the 2021 college football season in his final year at Liberty. It was the most rushing yards by any quarterback in the FBS. He has also combined for 1,822 rushing yards and 27 rushing touchdowns across his final two seasons, which were both the most among all quarterbacks.
Elusiveness has been one of the biggest keys to Willis' rushing success. According to PFF, he forced the most missed tackles in the entire country during the 2021 season. His 50 total forced misses were the most among all players, not just quarterbacks.
#2 - Willis completed the most big-time throws in the country
PFF defines big-time throws as "a downfield pass into a tight window, a high-value play opportunity for the offense, or a pass that shows excellent timing or accuracy." Willis completed more of them during the 2021 college football season than any other player in the entire country.
These statistics show a combination of Willis' elite arm talent, as well as his play-making abilities in the passing game. Pairing these traits with his dynamic rushing skills potentially makes him a uniquely dangerous weapon.
#3 - Willis admits that his maturity level was why he needed to transfer to Liberty
After playing high school football in the state of Georgia, Malik Willis was heavily recruited by schools in the SEC conference. He chose to attend Auburn, where he spent the first two years of his college football career. He started zero games while briefly appearing in 12 games before transferring to Liberty.
Willis later admitted that he was a bit immature at Auburn and needed a change. The transfer to Liberty worked out well for him, earning him the starting quarterback job and eventually being selected in the 2022 NFL Draft.
