QB class ‘slip-sliding away’??? … I live just over three hours from Syracuse and when the schedule came out with the Orange hosting Liberty, and rising star QB Malik Willis, I started thinking about trying to get down there to see what all the fuss was about. Alas, the border is still closed to Canadians so I watched on TV instead. And what I saw was somewhat disappointing. No question that Willis is a great athlete whose game reminds one a great deal of that of Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson, although Willis isn’t as quick or agile, but is a more physical runner. Willis also appears to have a really strong arm with a quick release and throws darts when he has time to step into his throws. However, he’s got kind of a funky 3/4 release and his footwork and mechanics appeared very scattered. I also came away wondering about instincts in the pocket, including his route anticipation, as well as his overall pocket presence.
In fact, it does not appear that it’s been a particularly good year at all so far for the top QB prospects for 2022. Oklahoma’s Spencer Rattler, who has generally been considered to be the #1 QB prospect for next year, for example, was even booed by his own fans during a lackluster performance this past weekend against West Virginia. Indeed, ESPN analyst Mel Kiper has indicated that he’ll be dropping Rattler in his next rankings. According to Kiper, Rattler looks more like a fringe first-round candidate rather than a franchise quarterback right now. And on it goes: North Carolina’s Sam Howell, another pre-season top 5 prospect, has also struggled at times, while as noted in an earlier article this week, USC’s Kedon Slovis may have lost his starting job already if not for freshman Jaxson Dart having to undergo surgery. On the other hand, Mississippi’s Matt Corral and Carson Strong of Nevada have both played well so far this season. And Corral, in particular, has a big chance to make a statement this week when he leads the Rebels against top-ranked Alabama.
