Denver Broncos mock draft: Starting fresh at quarterback in 2022
Denver Broncos land Malik Willis in 2022 mock draft
1. Scouting Report. QB. Malik Willis. Liberty. player. 2384. Pick Analysis
The Denver Broncos completely mishandled the way they “developed” Drew Lock under Vic Fangio.
Lock was selected in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft, so all things considered, that’s a relatively low-risk move for a team considering many mock drafts that year had the Broncos taking Lock with the 10th overall pick, which they obviously didn’t.
Lock was picked to play in Rich Scangarello’s offense, but Scangarello was fired in favor of Pat Shurmur after one season on the job. Lock was given the starting job during the pandemic-impacted offseason, and without Courtland Sutton, it didn’t work out.
Needless to say, the Broncos need to make sure they do right by their next quarterback. Teddy Bridgewater won’t be the starter for very long.
Malik Willis may not be a model of consistency at this point, but if you’re expecting a finished product in the NFL Draft, you’re not going to get it. The Draft, especially at QB, is all about projection. Malik Willis has tools worth developing and if he can hone his craft as a passer against complex defensive schemes, this has the potential to be a home run selection.
The NFL has adapted for college players coming in who are used to making quick reads with the football. For a player like Malik Willis, the NFL may require a bit of seasoning and taking some lumps, but he has first-round traits and the Broncos have a running game to support Willis early on.