The Tennessee Titans now know their QB of the future. When will he get the job?

So what do the Titans have in the 6-foot, 219-pound Willis, who spent his first two seasons at Auburn before moving to Liberty?

He’s an electric playmaker who throws an exceptional deep ball, a passer who totaled 5,117 yards in two years at Liberty, averaging 13.6 yards per completion and producing 47 touchdowns against 18 interceptions.

Willis’ skills as a runner were unmatched the past two seasons. He carried 338 times for 1,878 yards (5.6 yards per carry) and 27 touchdowns. According to Pro Football Focus, Willis had 89 tackles last season, more than any other player, including running backs.

“(He has) a good arm, athletic, moves well, has really good skills,” Robinson said. “Throw a good ball. It is difficult to approach. He has a lot of work to do, like all these rookies. But (we’re) excited to add him to the team and let him compete.

How does Willis need to improve his game to excel in the NFL?

Athletic’s Dane Brugler wrote that Willis’ pitch vision and decision-making are still “in the development phase”. Pro Football Focus noted that Willis’ eyes “regularly telegraph his shots. Will stare daggers through its targets. Willis also becomes hesitant when under pressure in the pocket, as he was sacked 51 times last season, more than any other FBS player.

That means Willis has a lot of work ahead of him in the offseason and throughout his rookie year.

“You learn a new offense,” Robinson said. “You come in, all these guys, whatever position they play. They learn new terminology, they learn new things. So how quickly he acclimatizes to this will likely determine how quickly he progresses.

Says Willis: “I mean, I learned a college playbook before I got to college, well, when I got to college. So I feel like I can learn an NFL playbook every time I come to the NFL. It’s just that I put in the time and effort more than anything. »

The fact that Willis is a third-round pick — as opposed to a first- or even second-round pick — will take the pressure off of becoming an immediate starter. Indeed, the 22-year-old looked more than ready to learn as he sat behind Tannehill during the 2022 season.

“Ryan Tannehill is a great player and a great leader for this organization,” Willis said. “I just want to come in and do whatever I can to get better at my craft. Whenever that time comes for me to go on the pitch, then that time will come. But until then, I’m just going to try to learn and be the best teammate I can be.

In the meantime, it would be hard to imagine Vrabel and offensive coordinator Todd Downing not finding creative ways for Willis to contribute as a rookie, even though he’s not supposed to be a starter.

“I think there are a lot of things we can do with different talented players,” Vrabel said. “Looking at his tape, it’s a tough tackle. Obviously, there are a lot of things that we are going to have to work with and develop. Our coaches are thrilled and I know Malik is ready to get here and get to work.

It remains to be seen what will happen after 2022.

Whether or not Willis becomes the starter depends, as Robinson said, on how well he learns the offense, improves his overall game and earns the respect of his teammates – just like any other player.

But in some ways, Willis is unlike any other player the Titans have adapted, which is why anticipation will quickly build if he appears to be progressing.

“All it takes is someone to be able to teach me, and I have to go learn the playbook like anybody else,” Willis said. “There’s no way I wouldn’t feel comfortable learning it from what they taught me during the pre-draft process, and I feel like I’m holding back the information quite well. I had an understanding. It’s just that I go there and work every day.