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Update: Former coach interview
Let's start this off on the demographic breakdown/background
�
Interviews and non-highlight videos
Evaluation from 2020 season
Actual 2021 game footage
I won't be posting highlight videos, because that's not the point. Just some whole game videos.
Overall Conclusion
I generally have a list of QB prospects, but this year is really weak. It's really Matt Corral and Willis for me personally. That's it. Matt corral won't be attainable. Willis is, but that brings us to the next discussion.
After watching his interview, 2020 evaluation and how he improved dramatically in 2021. I feel he is the right prospect that I would consider drafting in the late 1st or early 2nd. The drawbacks top his game is as followed:
What I do really like about Willis is that he is very coachable and work ethic is there aswell a bunch of talent. Speak well for himself and is humble. He has insane pocket mobility and really quick to pull the trigger and I think he can get even faster at pulling the trigger with more internal growth. He has a lot of room to grow and be better. Other positive traits are the following:
A short story on Malik's adversity link at bottom of post*
Willis' high school career started at Atlanta's Westlake High School, best known as the alma mater of Cam Newton, but he didn't play quarterback full time until his senior year, when he transferred to Roswell. But no one was biting on him as a recruit the way he felt they should have been.
Eventually Willis committed to Virginia Tech in June 2016. Five months later, he would decommit and go with Auburn and then-coach Gus Malzahn.
Auburn wasn't planning on taking a high school quarterback in that class, because it was the class after it brought Jarrett Stidham in from Baylor (and Stidham had to sit out a season). When starting quarterback Sean White got hurt at the end of 2016, the Tigers realized they needed to bring in a high school quarterback to develop.
"Obviously, we've had success with Nick Marshall, Cam Newton and those guys," said current Miami offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee, who originally recruited Willis to Auburn. "And so Malik was a guy who played for John Ford up at Roswell. ... So we reached out to John, started talking with Malik and realized even though he committed to Virginia Tech, he definitely had some interest in Auburn, staying close to home and playing at Auburn.
"For me, he just reminded us a lot of Nick. I mean, he was long, he was athletic, he could really run, throw the deep ball well."
When Willis arrived at Auburn, he was buried down the depth chart, but he quickly worked his way up to being Stidham's backup. But Willis wasn't able to show what he was fully capable of because of limited snaps and limited options in those snaps.
"Even when they were up 30 points in the fourth quarter, it was very limited time," said McEvoy. "... So even when he was in, he wasn't allowed to do anything. He certainly wasn't gonna be able to throw. So I think that was tough on him."
Willis knew he needed to go after Auburn's spring game in 2018, when he didn't get reps against the first team.
"I was like, 'Dang, like, no love?'" Willis said. "After the game, [Malzahn] said I did almost perfect. And then the next day, he was like, 'Uh, yeah, we're gonna have to slim down the competition.' This and that, and then I just took that, I was like, 'OK, I gotta leave.'"
Willis, who admires Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson for how he uses his athletic success as a platform for his religious beliefs, leaned on his faith in looking for his next destination. All he wanted was a chance.
"I don't think there's nothing in life that I prayed for, that I didn't receive, in a way, shape or form," Willis said. "He gonna give you what you need and he gonna give it to you on his time. There's nothing you can do about it -- you just got to stay faithful.
"I remember, like literally being like, 'Please, like, can I just have an opportunity to go somewhere and show what I can do?' And then I just asked, constantly, 'Just let me glorify your name, however you want me to, let me use this platform.'"
Willis didn't know much about Liberty prior to his official visit.
"I needed to be able to come somewhere to play," he said. "I said somewhere that had a need. That was all. I didn't really care about nothing else. It didn't matter where I had to go."
Willis checked his daily Bible verse app the day before his official visit to Liberty in Lynchburg, Virginia, and the app displayed 2 Corinthians 3:17.
Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Liberty.
The next day, when Willis walked into Liberty's facility, he saw the verse on the wall.
"I'm like, 'Ain't no way. Ain't no way.' I ain't even tell nobody that," Willis said. "I just kind of like kept it to myself. But I knew right then I was like, 'Yep, this the place I'm supposed to go.'"
....
Willis took classes on campus at Liberty during his 2019 redshirt year but has since only had to appear at Liberty's football facility, even to do his classwork. He's taking online courses for grad school, going for his MBA.
"Football brings people together from different backgrounds, different environments, different cultures, different religions, all types of stuff," Willis said. "You just got to be open, you know, communicate with each other and try to understand one another. And that's just what's gonna bring y'all closer. You know, siblings and cousins and stuff, they fight, but they get right back together because they's family. That's how it should be."
Willis knew three things he liked about Liberty: Hugh Freeze and his offense was there; it's an institution that places importance on faith; and Freeze's strength and conditioning staff from Mississippi was there.
"Those were the three things I needed to hear," he said. "I don't care about, 'The school doesn't have this and that because it's a Christian school.' For us it isn't important. So what? This is what I came for.
"I came to work," he said. "I came to work."
.....
Despite showing off those skills every Saturday last fall, if you were to ask Willis what he did well in 2020, he couldn't give you an answer. Ask about what he needs to work on, though, and he will reply with a detailed catalogue of the plays he didn't make.
I swear I remember every bad throw I made, like it's ingrained in my memory," he said.
But when Willis speaks of his 2020 season, he doesn't get down on himself. He will tell you about his mistakes, and why he made them. But it fuels him as he prepares to go into his second year as a starter.
"I don't feel like I had a great year last year," Willis said. "I feel like I had a decent year for my first time playing, but I definitely can improve and just build this platform so I can keep glorifying God at the end of the day.
"Now that I'm in my second year in the system, I understand more about what Coach Kent [Austin] is talking to me about not just knowing coverage, but understanding what the fundamentals of coverage are, what did each player need to do in order to do their job on defense on the defensive side. Just understanding that makes it a lot easier. ... I just feel like I didn't have that last year. It was more like, I was out there. I knew coverage, I knew the plays, but now I just feel more comfortable. And more confident."
...
Austin said, "Malik's got an unbelievable work ethic. And he takes coaching. He's truly a guy that wants to improve. And he doesn't want to waste a day in that improvement trajectory. ... He comes to work every day, mentally to understand schematically the game and defense, but also fundamentally and making sure that he stays consistent."
Willis also tries to spread that same energy with the team in a leadership role.
"He does a really good job of holding other guys accountable," Liberty co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach Maurice Harris said. "He gets that if all of the guys around me are on their P's and Q's, so to speak, then we're going to be very, very successful as a team and playing at a high level. So he has a really good, just overall mindset of what it takes not just for him to be successful, but for the team to be successful."
UPDATED FINAL SEASON Grade:
Still a 2nd round Prospect
But remember just because that he has a 2nd round grade doesn't mean he'll go in the 2nd. There aren't 32 1st round prospects. So, I hope this paint the picture.
*https://www.espn.com/college-footba.../i-believe-just-did-rise-liberty-malik-willis
Sam Howell
Here is some Sam Howell stuff to spread some love
Let's start this off on the demographic breakdown/background
- Position: Dual Threat Quarterback
- School: Liberty
- Current Year: Redshirt Senior
- Height: 6’1″
- Weight: 215 pounds
- age: 22
- His uncle, James Anderson, played for 11 seasons in the NFL and was a third round draft pick in 2006
- His private quarterback coaches -- Quincy Avery and McEvoy
- Completed his bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies in May 2021
- 40 yard Projected - 4.40 - 4.50 Range
| Year | School | Conf | Class | piece of work | G | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | AY/A | TD | Int | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| *2017 | Auburn | SEC | FR | QB | 7 | 6 | 7 | 85.7 | 45 | 6.4 | 9.3 | 1 | 0 | 186.9 |
| *2018 | Auburn | SEC | SO | QB | 5 | 5 | 7 | 71.4 | 24 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 0 | 0 | 100.2 |
| *2020 | Liberty | Ind | JR | QB | 10 | 170 | 265 | 64.2 | 2250 | 8.5 | 9.0 | 20 | 6 | 155.8 |
| 2021 | Liberty | Ind | JR | QB | 13 | 207 | 339 | 61.1 | 2857 | 8.4 | 8.4 | 27 | 12 | 151 |
Rushing & Receiving
| Rushing | Receiving | Scrimmage | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | School | Conf | Class | piece of work | G | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Plays | Yds | Avg | TD |
| *2017 | Auburn | SEC | FR | QB | 7 | 16 | 221 | 13.8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 221 | 13.8 | 1 | |
| *2018 | Auburn | SEC | SO | QB | 5 | 12 | 88 | 7.3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 88 | 7.3 | 1 | |
| *2020 | Liberty | Ind | JR | QB | 10 | 141 | 944 | 6.7 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 141 | 944 | 6.7 | 14 | |
| 2021 | Liberty | Ind | JR | QB | 13 | 197 | 878 | 4.5 | 13 | 1 | 13 | 13.0 | 0 | 198 | 891 | 4.5 | 13 |
Interviews and non-highlight videos
Evaluation from 2020 season
Actual 2021 game footage
I won't be posting highlight videos, because that's not the point. Just some whole game videos.
Overall Conclusion
I generally have a list of QB prospects, but this year is really weak. It's really Matt Corral and Willis for me personally. That's it. Matt corral won't be attainable. Willis is, but that brings us to the next discussion.
After watching his interview, 2020 evaluation and how he improved dramatically in 2021. I feel he is the right prospect that I would consider drafting in the late 1st or early 2nd. The drawbacks top his game is as followed:
- Not NFL Ready day one
- Even though he plays above his size, he is still short and small
- Still needs to develop further and continue with positive growth. Still raw
- Being a more consistent and accurate passer
- footwork needs to be improved to being a viable starting QB
- learn to be able to pass in windows and have better field vision
- Further improve his anticipation and touch
- ball placement needs to continue to improve
- Offense cater to QB and is not a pro-style system
What I do really like about Willis is that he is very coachable and work ethic is there aswell a bunch of talent. Speak well for himself and is humble. He has insane pocket mobility and really quick to pull the trigger and I think he can get even faster at pulling the trigger with more internal growth. He has a lot of room to grow and be better. Other positive traits are the following:
A short story on Malik's adversity link at bottom of post*
Willis' high school career started at Atlanta's Westlake High School, best known as the alma mater of Cam Newton, but he didn't play quarterback full time until his senior year, when he transferred to Roswell. But no one was biting on him as a recruit the way he felt they should have been.
Eventually Willis committed to Virginia Tech in June 2016. Five months later, he would decommit and go with Auburn and then-coach Gus Malzahn.
Auburn wasn't planning on taking a high school quarterback in that class, because it was the class after it brought Jarrett Stidham in from Baylor (and Stidham had to sit out a season). When starting quarterback Sean White got hurt at the end of 2016, the Tigers realized they needed to bring in a high school quarterback to develop.
"Obviously, we've had success with Nick Marshall, Cam Newton and those guys," said current Miami offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee, who originally recruited Willis to Auburn. "And so Malik was a guy who played for John Ford up at Roswell. ... So we reached out to John, started talking with Malik and realized even though he committed to Virginia Tech, he definitely had some interest in Auburn, staying close to home and playing at Auburn.
"For me, he just reminded us a lot of Nick. I mean, he was long, he was athletic, he could really run, throw the deep ball well."
When Willis arrived at Auburn, he was buried down the depth chart, but he quickly worked his way up to being Stidham's backup. But Willis wasn't able to show what he was fully capable of because of limited snaps and limited options in those snaps.
"Even when they were up 30 points in the fourth quarter, it was very limited time," said McEvoy. "... So even when he was in, he wasn't allowed to do anything. He certainly wasn't gonna be able to throw. So I think that was tough on him."
Willis knew he needed to go after Auburn's spring game in 2018, when he didn't get reps against the first team.
"I was like, 'Dang, like, no love?'" Willis said. "After the game, [Malzahn] said I did almost perfect. And then the next day, he was like, 'Uh, yeah, we're gonna have to slim down the competition.' This and that, and then I just took that, I was like, 'OK, I gotta leave.'"
Willis, who admires Seattle Seahawks QB Russell Wilson for how he uses his athletic success as a platform for his religious beliefs, leaned on his faith in looking for his next destination. All he wanted was a chance.
"I don't think there's nothing in life that I prayed for, that I didn't receive, in a way, shape or form," Willis said. "He gonna give you what you need and he gonna give it to you on his time. There's nothing you can do about it -- you just got to stay faithful.
"I remember, like literally being like, 'Please, like, can I just have an opportunity to go somewhere and show what I can do?' And then I just asked, constantly, 'Just let me glorify your name, however you want me to, let me use this platform.'"
Willis didn't know much about Liberty prior to his official visit.
"I needed to be able to come somewhere to play," he said. "I said somewhere that had a need. That was all. I didn't really care about nothing else. It didn't matter where I had to go."
Willis checked his daily Bible verse app the day before his official visit to Liberty in Lynchburg, Virginia, and the app displayed 2 Corinthians 3:17.
Now the Lord is the Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Liberty.
The next day, when Willis walked into Liberty's facility, he saw the verse on the wall.
"I'm like, 'Ain't no way. Ain't no way.' I ain't even tell nobody that," Willis said. "I just kind of like kept it to myself. But I knew right then I was like, 'Yep, this the place I'm supposed to go.'"
....
Willis took classes on campus at Liberty during his 2019 redshirt year but has since only had to appear at Liberty's football facility, even to do his classwork. He's taking online courses for grad school, going for his MBA.
"Football brings people together from different backgrounds, different environments, different cultures, different religions, all types of stuff," Willis said. "You just got to be open, you know, communicate with each other and try to understand one another. And that's just what's gonna bring y'all closer. You know, siblings and cousins and stuff, they fight, but they get right back together because they's family. That's how it should be."
Willis knew three things he liked about Liberty: Hugh Freeze and his offense was there; it's an institution that places importance on faith; and Freeze's strength and conditioning staff from Mississippi was there.
"Those were the three things I needed to hear," he said. "I don't care about, 'The school doesn't have this and that because it's a Christian school.' For us it isn't important. So what? This is what I came for.
"I came to work," he said. "I came to work."
.....
Despite showing off those skills every Saturday last fall, if you were to ask Willis what he did well in 2020, he couldn't give you an answer. Ask about what he needs to work on, though, and he will reply with a detailed catalogue of the plays he didn't make.
I swear I remember every bad throw I made, like it's ingrained in my memory," he said.
But when Willis speaks of his 2020 season, he doesn't get down on himself. He will tell you about his mistakes, and why he made them. But it fuels him as he prepares to go into his second year as a starter.
"I don't feel like I had a great year last year," Willis said. "I feel like I had a decent year for my first time playing, but I definitely can improve and just build this platform so I can keep glorifying God at the end of the day.
"Now that I'm in my second year in the system, I understand more about what Coach Kent [Austin] is talking to me about not just knowing coverage, but understanding what the fundamentals of coverage are, what did each player need to do in order to do their job on defense on the defensive side. Just understanding that makes it a lot easier. ... I just feel like I didn't have that last year. It was more like, I was out there. I knew coverage, I knew the plays, but now I just feel more comfortable. And more confident."
...
Austin said, "Malik's got an unbelievable work ethic. And he takes coaching. He's truly a guy that wants to improve. And he doesn't want to waste a day in that improvement trajectory. ... He comes to work every day, mentally to understand schematically the game and defense, but also fundamentally and making sure that he stays consistent."
Willis also tries to spread that same energy with the team in a leadership role.
"He does a really good job of holding other guys accountable," Liberty co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach Maurice Harris said. "He gets that if all of the guys around me are on their P's and Q's, so to speak, then we're going to be very, very successful as a team and playing at a high level. So he has a really good, just overall mindset of what it takes not just for him to be successful, but for the team to be successful."
- NFL level Arm Strength and elite talent
- Elite elusiveness in the pocket and slice rusher that'll gash for big plays
- Deep Ball accuracy is impressive with nice ball placement
- Has shown growth from year to year
- Leadership and toughness is consistent in his makeup
- Work ethic and humility a strong anchor to his character
- tremendous upside
UPDATED FINAL SEASON Grade:
Still a 2nd round Prospect
But remember just because that he has a 2nd round grade doesn't mean he'll go in the 2nd. There aren't 32 1st round prospects. So, I hope this paint the picture.
*https://www.espn.com/college-footba.../i-believe-just-did-rise-liberty-malik-willis
Sam Howell
Here is some Sam Howell stuff to spread some love
Last edited:
(j/k mid 20s)...this feels like a draft that is going to be heavy on OL/DT/DEs early on.
