Report reveals why 1 team repeatedly passed on drafting Malik Willis

Mar 2, 2022; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Liberty Flames quarterback Malik Willis during the NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Some mock drafts had Malik Willis going as high as the first round of the NFL Draft. Instead, the Liberty quarterback fell all the way to the third round, where he went No. 86 to the Tennessee Titans.

Willis’ fall meant multiple quarterback-needy teams passed on him more than once. One of those teams was the Seattle Seahawks, but they had a particular reason for avoiding Willis multiple times in the draft.

The Seahawks felt that Willis was not close to being NFL-ready, according to Brady Henderson of ESPN. The team evidently decided to focus on players who would be able to play more quickly in their eyes, and were more certain to become valuable contributors.

That assessment seems to be in line with what most of the NFL thought about Willis. That is likely why he ended up with the Tennessee Titans, where he can sit behind Ryan Tannehill for at least a year. While that situation has attracted attention, it is probably better for Willis in the long run if he really is that far away from being an NFL starter.