"Tannehill gonna be selling insurance by Week 4" - Malik Willis' incredible preseason debut convinces NFL fans that he's the Titans future

Malik Willis was the quarterback with the most upside in this year's historically weak draft class. If his first preseason outing is anything to go by, he is already doing well on his learning curve.

The Tennessee Titans took him in the third round this year because his arm talent and athleticism were just too good to overlook. There was some surprise when Willis fell to the third round. Many expected him to go to a quarterback needy team like the Pittsburgh Steelers. But the Steelers drafted Kenny Pickett in the first round.

Desmond Ridder was the second quarterback to be selected and he went to the Atlanta Falcons in the third round. The Titans were no doubt delighted when Willis was still available with the 86th pick.

The Tennessee Titans drafted Willis mainly because he was a steal and doubts that incumbent starting quarterback Ryan Tannehill is the right man for the future. Tannehill threw three interceptions against the Cincinnati Bengals in their 16-19 Divisional round defeat in the playoffs last season.

Based on Malik Willis' performance in pre-season against the Baltimore Ravens, NFL fans think he will be ready sooner rather than later. They took to social media to share their thoughts. Here are the top comments:

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Malik Willis is a cause for real optimism for the Tennesee Titans

Tennessee Titans v Baltimore Ravens

Malik Willis has shown that he has tremendous potential. However, he is not quite ready to start in the NFL and he has not supplanted Ryan Tannehill. But the Titans will have a lot more confidence in Willis going forward, should something happen to Tannehill.

Of course, as the coaching staff has pointed out, the young quarterback still has a lot to learn. One thing that Malik Willis will need to improve upon is his work from under center. He got used to the shotgun in college while at Liberty, so his dropbacks need to become more fluent for him to become starting NFL material.

Here's what Titans head coach Mike Vrable said to reporters after Willis' performance:

"He needs to try to throw the ball when guys are open, be more decisive. We'll evaluate that, see if there's a timing issue or what's going on. Wanted to get him out there, see how he responds. There were some good plays and obviously some plays we're gonna have to look at the timing on the release and if we're making the right decisions."

While most modern quarterbacks are good with their feet, the hallmarks of a good signal-caller are timely releases and pocket presence. Malik Willis needs to improve his throwing down the middle of the field and make sure he gets the receivers open. Furthermore, he needs to be able to stay in the pocket longer and extend plays. The pressure will be much more intense in regular-season games.

As encouraging a debut as it was, and as much as it points to potential, there is still a long way to go for Willis. But don't be shocked to see him develop into a household name over the next few seasons.

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