Malik Willis continues to impress during his time in front of NFL scouts and team executives, most recently with his performance at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis. His time at the Combine did nothing but help his draft prospects as we continue inching towards the 2022 NFL Draft which begins on Thursday, April 28.

Willis’ next opportunity to impress scouts will be at Liberty’s Pro Day on March 22. The 6’1″, 225 pound athlete and native of Atlanta, Georgia, finished his time at Liberty with a 17-6 record as a starting quarterback. This past season, Willis completed 207 of 339 passes for 2,857 yards, 27 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He also led the Flames in rushing with 878 yards and 13 touchdowns on 197 carries.

Liberty has had eight players drafted in the NFL Draft all-time, but only one has been selected earlier than the fourth round. In 1990, tight end Eric Green was taken in the first round with the No. 21 overall selection by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Several Liberty players have been taken in the 4th round including Kelvin Edwards (1986), Walt Aikens (2014), and Antonio Gandy-Golden (2020).

Here’s a look at the most likely landing spots for Willis in next month’s draft:

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

Pittsburgh’s love affair with Malik Willis has been no secret. It was the talk of Mobile during the Senior Bowl as their executive team was in Alabama and met with the Liberty quarterback and his family. The Steelers have one of the best defenses in the NFL and a plethora of young talent at the offensive skill positions. They might have to trade up to get him, but they could very well be the best landing spot for Willis given their roster, coaching staff, and organizational stability. They recently brought in Mitch Trubisky at quarterback, but he could just be a stop gap in the short team until Willis is ready.

WASHINGTON COMMANDERS

Cam Newton was a dual-threat quarterback who helped current Washington head coach Ron Rivera get to a Super Bowl in 2015. Washington runs a decent dose of RPOs and play-action which Willis would be familiar with from his time under Hugh Freeze and his offensive system. The Commanders recently traded for Carson Wentz, but that might not take them out of the running for a quarterback in this year’s draft.

CAROLINA PANTHERS

The Panthers clearly need a quarterback as they have yet to find the replacement from Cam Newton who started from 2011-2018. Over the past few seasons, several different guys have gotten their shot including Teddy Bridgewater and Sam Darnold. It is rumored that head coach Matt Rhule is on the hot seat, and, if so, he may not be as willing to hand the keys over to a rookie quarterback to wait for him to develop.

ATLANTA FALCONS

Willis’ hometown team, the Atlanta Falcons would certainly be a desired landing spot for him and his family. The Falcons have some young talent on offense, but they are looking for a replacement at quarterback once Matt Ryan moves on. Willis could slide in here and learn under Ryan for a year before taking over.

DETROIT LIONS

The Lions have Jared Goff at quarterback, but they are able to get away from his contract after the 2022 season. They have two first round picks this year, and could certainly use one of them on a quarterback. The Lions’ coaching staff got an up close and personal look at Willis as they coached him at the Senior Bowl in Mobile.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

The Saints are in transition as a franchise, moving on without head coach Sean Payton and quarterback Drew Brees. They have a youngster in Taysom Hill who could play quarterback, but they seem to be more intent on keeping him a certain package to best showcase his talents. New Orleans finished last in the league in passing yards in 2021, the first year without Brees.

DENVER BRONCOS

The Broncos have been trying to find their next long-term quarterback solution for several years. Drafting Drew Lock a few years ago did not pan out and it led to Denver making a change at head coach. Vic Fangio is gone and Nathaniel Hackett is entering his first year as head coach. Teddy Bridgewater started at quarterback for the Broncos last year, but they continue to seek for a franchise quarterback that can take them back towards the top of the AFC.

Edit: the Broncos have recently traded for Russell Wilson and are unlikely to draft a quarterback in the first round of this year’s draft.