"He's kind of a right-handed version of Michael Vick" - NFL draft expert compares Malik Willis to legendary QB
Mel Kiper Jr. always has his ear to the floor when it comes to the NFL Draft and Liberty quarterback Malik Willis is high on his draft board.
Willis is projected to be one of the top two quarterback prospects in this year's class, and rightfully so. Kiper Jr. even went as far as to compare him to the right-handed version of former freak athlete Michael Vick.
Kiper Jr. stated:
"He's to be a top-five pick...He's kind of a right-handed version of Michael Vick when you watch his speed...He's so deceptive with the strength of his speed...and that rocket arm."
To give the comparison more context, Michael Vick played at Virginia Tech, where he posted 3,279 passing yards and 1,216 rushing yards in two seasons. He also clocked in with a 4.25 second 40-yard dash, the fastest speed for a quarterback.
Malik Willis plays very similarly to Vick, except that he's right-handed and Vick is a lefty. In two seasons with Liberty, Willis threw for over 5,000 yards and ran for 1,822 yards. He's highly athletic and ran a 4.37 second 40-yard dash at Auburn.
Willis also has a strong arm, but Vick was on another level when he entered the league. His run with the Atlanta Falcons was historic and Mel Kiper Jr. thinks Willis is on that level right now.
The Atlanta Falcons took Vick with the first overall pick in 2001 and he became an instant cheat code. Through 13 seasons, Vick has the most rushing yards by a quarterback with 6,109.
Never forget when Michael Vick juked out the entire Boston College defense for an 80-yard TD run 🤯
https://t.co/l4r0qqALiI
It's a bit far-fetched, but could Malik Willis have a ceiling similar to Vick?
It's possible, but the reality is that he will be similar but not a carbon copy. Fellow draft expert Todd McShay understands the comparison Mel is making, but is more level-headed by thinking Malik Willis' best will be a notch below Vick's prime performance level.
Many call Malik Willis the next Michael Vick 🏈
@MichaelVick shares the advice he gave to the @LibertyFootball QB with @nfldraftscout https://t.co/bemBGm1Tjx
Where will Malik Willis end up being drafted?
After comparing Malik Willis to one of the greatest dual-threat quarterbacks in NFL history, Mel Kiper Jr. speculated as to where the young quarterback would wind up. Originally, he thought the Pittsburgh Steelers would be the correct destination.
But the issue now lies in whether the Steelers can trade up to get him. It's a fever dream right now to see him falling to pick number 20.
Instead, Kiper Jr. believes it makes more sense for the Seattle Seahawks to take him at No. 9 after trading Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos.
Will the Steelers ultimately draft Malik Willis? No one knows.
But Mike Tomlin was at Pitt's Pro day Monday afternoon, made the six-hour (driving) trip to Lynchburg to have dinner with Willis Monday night and watched him workout Tuesday afternoon. His interest is obviously high.
The only wrench in the plan is if Seattle loves Kenny Pickett more than Willis. If that's the case, the Steelers could wait it out and not trade up for their quarterback.
With so many quarterbacks on the move this offseason, it could be inferred that many teams don't love this year's prospect class. Willis should still be a first-round pick, but he could end up going to the Steelers, Falcons or Seahawks.