NFL Draft: Quarterbacks generate buzz after impressive Pro Day

The 2022 NFL Draft is just around the corner, and these top quarterback prospects are really starting to draw some attention. 

We’ve heard all offseason long that this isn’t a particularly strong quarterback class. This isn’t a group that has a Trevor Lawrence or a Kyler Murray, and some draft analysts are claiming that there isn’t a single QB from this year who would have been taken before the top-five quarterbacks from the 2021 NFL Draft.

While all of this might be true, at the end of the day, it may not matter. Quarterback-needy teams are going to do what quarterback-needy teams do.

March 21st and March 22nd marked two very big Pro Days as Pitt QB Kenny Pickett first took the field, followed by Liberty QB Malik Willis. There were many representatives on hand to scout out who many believe are the top-two quarterback prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft.

The consensus around the league is that both player had a very strong Pro Day. Pickett impressed with his accuracy, ball placement, and touch during workouts, while Willis showed off his impressive cannon — capping off practice with a dime that traveled roughly 75 air yards to hit his receiver in the endzone.

Obviously, throwing the ball to wide-open receivers in shorts is hardly a good way to evaluate a QB prospect, but with teams sending their brass to scope out the talent, it looks like both of these players are going to end up being high draft picks.

Willis and Pickett could be top-10 picks in NFL Draft

The Falcons, Panthers, Commanders, and Steelers are four teams who have shown a lot of interest in these two quarterbacks thus far — sending their top dogs to scope them out one more time before the NFL Draft. Several other teams had personnel members on hand as well.

The further along we get in this process, the more it’s starting to seem like both Malik Willis and Kenny Pickett will be first-round picks this April.

The Carolina Panthers could be the first team to pull the trigger on one with the 6th overall pick — that is if an eager team doesn’t jump ahead of them to secure their guy. After the Panthers, the Falcons hold the 8th overall pick, the Seahawks have the 9th pick, and the Commanders have the 11th pick.

The Steelers also seem to be infatuated with the quarterbacks this year. With Ben Roethlisberger retired and Mitch Trubisky as the only viable option on the roster to lead this team moving forward, I fully expect them to be aggressive in trying to get their quarterback. It certainly looks like Willis is the ultimate goal for them in the NFL Draft.

With this many quarterback-needy teams all looking for their next signal-caller, it doesn’t matter if the value is right. It’s looking like both Willis and Pickett will wind up as top-10 picks when this is all said and done.