The Seattle Seahawks passed on Malik Willis three times in Day 2 of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Apparently, Malik Willis was not what the Seattle Seahawks were talking about in the war room in Day 2 of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Willis’ fall down the draft board was somewhat surprising. He may have been grossly overvalued by the NFL media throughout the process, but his precipitous fall all the way to the Tennessee Titans at No. 86 in the third round was alarming. The Seahawks have no future at quarterback, but somehow managed to pass on him three times in the second day of the NFL Draft in Las Vegas.
After taking offensive tackle Charles Cross No. 9 overall out of Mississippi State on Thursday night, the Seahawks’ brass elected to take Minnesota defensive end Boye Mafe (No. 40), Michigan State running back Kenneth Walker III (No. 41) and Washington State offensive tackle Abraham Lucas (No. 72) instead of making Willis the second quarterback to be selected in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Willis would be the third quarterback taken after Kenny Pickett went to the Pittsburgh Steelers late in the first round and Desmond Ridder fell to the Atlanta Falcons in the latter part of the third round.
Seattle Seahawks may pay for passing on Malik Willis three times in day two
Even if the Seahawks were not all that high on Willis, other quarterback-desperate teams were able to land a guy this offseason one way or another. Pickett stays put in Pittsburgh. Ridder gets to play alongside his prototype in Marcus Mariota in Atlanta. Even the Carolina Panthers took a gamble on former Ole Miss star Matt Corral. None may be good, but all three teams took a chance.
As far as who the Seahawks took instead of Willis, you cannot blame them on Cross. He had the potential to go top five and went No. 9. Though much will be made about the Walker selection, he did win the Doak Walker Award during his one year at Michigan State. Lucas may be a local product and Mafe may have great upside, but this Seattle team will be lucky to win five games with Drew Lock at quarterback.
Clearly, the Seahawks believe their quarterback of the future is still in college. If the team is a complete disaster this fall, Pete Carroll will be asked to retire. His successor will be some newfangled offensive guru who will have the right to pick between the likes of Alabama’s Bryce Young, Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud or even Miami’s Tyler Van Dyke. They won’t be talking about Willis.
By Willis going to the AFC South, messing up this badly is not going to sting that much for Seattle.