MOBILE, Ala. – After salvaging his college career at Liberty, Atlanta native Malik Willis is hoping to impress NFL scouts at the Senior Bowl.
He started his high school career at Westlake High before transferring to Roswell as a senior. He played two seasons at Auburn from 2017-19, before transferring to Liberty.
“I’m just blessed with the opportunity to be even talking about (being) one of those guys that could be possibly be taken in the NFL draft,” Willis said Wednesday. “It’s more than anything, an opportunity. So, I’m just happy for the opportunity.”
Willis played in seven games in 2017 and completed 6 of 7 passes and five games in 2018 and completed 5 of 7 passes at Auburn. After transferring to Liberty, Willis took a different approach to his game.
“After leaving Auburn, I just decided I was going to be like a sponge to the game,” Willis said. “Just focused on taking my athleticism out of the picture and just focused on being more cerebral and just taking what the defense gives me. Use my athleticism when it was totally necessary.”
He credited the coaches at Liberty with helping with the transformation.
“So, I just feel like they taught me so much,” Willis said. “Not only about the game, but about becoming a man and maturing.”
With the change to his approach, Willis developed into one of the more dynamic dual threats in all of college football.
In 2020, he completed 64.2% of his passes for 2,250 yards, 20 touchdowns and six interceptions. He added 944 yards rushing and 14 more touchdowns.
Last season, he completed 61.1% of his passes for 2,857 yards, 27 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He also rushed for 878 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Willis didn’t notice much of a difference from the SEC and Liberty’s level of football.
“Football, is football,” Willis said. “They work out every day. We work out every day. Our schedules from when I was Auburn and Liberty were pretty much the same. (The media) focuses on that a little bit too much in my opinion. It’s just more people at the games.”
Willis met Steelers coach Mike Tomlin after practice Tuesday. With the retirement of Ben Roethlisberger, the Steelers are in the quarterback market and have said they want to look at mobile candidates.
“I mean, he’s a pretty cool dude,” said Willis, who has also interviewed with the Falcons. “It seems like that was my first time meeting him ever, but we were just chopping it up. I know we had to do interviews with all the teams and stuff. So, he said, that he talked to a couple of his guys. I hadn’t talked to him yet and he was just trying to introduce yourself.”
Willis has enjoyed working with the Detroit Lions coaching staff to prepare for the game.
“I mean, it’s been cool,” Willis said. “Those guys are really receptive. They tried to give us everything we need to be successful.”
Willis is off to a good start.
“I think he throws a nice ball,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said. “He’s pretty athletic. He’s built better. … From afar you don’t know. That’s why being able to see these guys up close. He’s a good-looking player. He’s built right. He looks like he’s built to last.”
So, Willis passed the eye test.
“He handed our playbook pretty good,” Campbell said. “We had a couple of run checks in there. Defensively, we had a couple of pressure looks that I thought he handled. He did a good job.”
Willis said Westlake alum and Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton would drop by the school and share information about his football journey to college and the NFL.
“He used to always drop in and stuff,” Willis said. “I played for his seven-on-seven team. He always gave me nuggets of information that I could keep with me for the rest of my life. He’s definitely been a big part of that.”
In addition to Newton, Willis admires the play of Russell Wilson, Aaron Rodgers and Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan.
“Russell Wilson, his deep ball and his touch on his passes, that’s a really cool (part of his game),” Willis said. “I always looked up to Aaron Rodgers and his crazy arm angles. Just his mobility and keeping the play alive without having to like run for a lot of yards. Matt Ryan and his anticipation. I just try to focus on the little aspects that could help me in my game.”
Willis worked out with former Falcons wide receiver Mohammed Sanu in Atlanta a few years ago, and he shared some insights to Ryan’s effectiveness.
“He told me that he would be at practice and Matt Ryan would throw it way before he even broke, way before wherever he was supposed to be,” Willis said. “Because he knew the coverage, he would throw into that zone. It’s the job of the receiver to go and make a play on it. He’s just throwing them open, ultimately.”
Willis can improve his draft status with a good showing. ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper believes a good week could end up with the Falcons taking Willis with the eighth overall pick.
“This week, I’m being asked to go out there and execute the Lions’ playbook,” Willis said. “Last week, it was focusing on training and trying to get ready for this and then get ready for the combine.”
Willis doesn’t want his running ability to define him. He wants to show of that he can read defenses.
“I try to take what the defense gives me,” Willis said. “I mean, if somebody is in the backfield with me, I probably shouldn’t stay in the pocket. If it’s a clean pocket, I’ll probably stay in the pocket. I try not to have a set thing in my mind where I’m like, OK, I’m going to run this play. OK, I’m going to throw this play. I’m just kind of like trying to play the game of football.”
Willis was a big Falcons fan as a youngster.
“I used to go tailgate down there at the old Georgia Dome, me and my granddad and all of my uncles and stuff,” Willis said. “I definitely was, when I was growing up.”
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