Malik Willis details decision to transfer out of Auburn

Two years ago, likely first-round NFL draft pick Malik Willis was stuck on the bench at Auburn. After two seasons, the 6-foot-1 dual-threat quarterback had just 14 passing attempts and very little tape to show for his time in Alabama. The former Roswell (Ga.) High standout made the call to transfer after a meeting with then-head coach Gus Malzahn.

NFL.com reporter Chris Goodbread spoke to Willis about the events leading up to his transfer out of Auburn for a profile on the prolific QB. Before leaving for Liberty, he came face-to-face with the hard truth that he’d never gone in-depth in his studying of the game.

“His attitude toward watching film at Auburn was at the root of his two-year stretch on the bench,” Goodbread wrote. “He knew the playbook and the responsibilities of his position, but he took no real interest in studying defenses or the intricacies of other positions in the AU offense. It culminated with Malzahn informing him, following spring practice in 2019, that he would not even be considered in the quarterback competition.”

“I was so immature,” Willis said in the interview. “… just played really well in the spring game, but I learned the hard way that the spring game doesn’t matter. I decided after that meeting that I had to be better, but I needed to find somewhere else to play and find someone to help me get where I needed to go.”

Liberty strikes gold

Hugh Freeze at Liberty took a chance on Willis despite very little to go on. And in return, Willis dedicated himself to becoming a student of the game.

“There was very little tape at all on him, because all he did (at Auburn) was run zone-read. You knew he could do that. I recruited him for about two weeks and he gave me this individual workout tape, and it showed some things you’ve got to do outside of the running game,” Freeze told Goodbread. “It gave me some confidence that he would be very good for us at quarterback.”

“He transferred in and was completely receptive to watching film from Day 1,” Liberty offensive coordinator Kent Austin told Goodbread. “But for him, it wasn’t so much about putting in more time. He had to learn how to watch film. What to look for and why. It’s not just about logging hours.”

After sitting in 2019 due to transfer rules, Willis went on to post 5,107 passing yards and 47 passing touchdowns in 23 games. He also ran for 1,822 yards with 27 rushing touchdowns. Almost all NFL draft experts see the former transfer as a first-round pick. The only question left is whether he’ll be the first quarterback off the board.

McShay high on Willis after Senior Bowl

The Senior Bowl has now come and gone, bringing more clarity to the 2022 NFL Draft picture. This year’s quarterback class is considered “weaker” by some, but there are still plenty of quality options spread throughout the board. ESPN NFL Draft expert Todd McShay has revealed his updated top ten quarterbacks in the 2022 NFL Draft following the Senior Bowl.

1. Malik Willis, Liberty
2. Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh
3. Matt Corral, Ole Miss
4. Sam Howell, UNC
5. Desmond Ridder, Cincinnati
6. Carson Strong, Nevada
7. Bailey Zappe, Western Kentucky
8. Tanner McKee, Stanford
9. Skylar Thompson, Kansas State
10. Brock Purdy, Iowa State

With plenty of time between now and the start of the 2022 NFL Draft in late April, there are still a lot of questions surrounding this year’s quarterback class. There is not one consensus quarterback at the top, with essentially every expert having different opinions on the top players available.

Todd McShay liked what he saw from Malik Willis at the Senior Bowl. Despite a measly 2-for-4 for 11 yards passing, Willis led both teams with 54 yards rushing.

On3’s Jonathan Wagner contributed to this report.