Malik Willis Shows Why He's Favorite To Be First QB Selected at Draft

The 2022 NFL Draft isn’t until Thursday, April 28, but fans and bettors had to notice Liberty quarterback Malik Willis at the NFL Combine on Thursday. 

Willis opted out of running the 40-yard dash because his collegiate tape has no shortage of examples of his elite athleticism. He threw, though, and he showed off:

https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1499576296845852673https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1499572889426739205

RELATED: 2022 NFL Draft Odds and Picks

With Jacksonville holding the No. 1 pick, and already having selected franchise quarterback Trevor Lawrence in the 2021 NFL Draft, Willis probably isn’t a great bet to go first overall. 

However, he’s quickly separating himself from his positional peers, and Willis to go as the first QB selected in the NFL Draft is available at FanDuel. 

Odds to go First Overall

FanDuel Sportsbook: +5000

DraftKings Sportsbook: +3500

Caesars Sportsbook: +3000

BetMGM Sportsbook: +3000

Check out the latest comprehensive and most trusted Sportsbook Reviews by SBR here.

Odds for First QB Selected

Via FanDuel Sportsbook:

It’s worth noting that just two weeks ago, FanDuel had Willis’ odds at +4000 to go first overall and +150 to be the first quarterback selected. 

RELATED: FanDuel Releases 2022 NFL Draft Odds

There are a number of potential QB-needy teams picking early in the 2022 Draft, as Houston, Carolina, Denver and Washington all have question marks in their quarterback room. Plus, the Lions, Jets, Giants and Falcons probably have a game-changing signal caller on their wish lists.

There’s also always the potential for a franchise to trade up to select Willis. 

Denver general manager George Paton recently echoed a similar sentiment about his team’s quarterback situation:

"It's the most important position in sports. … We're always looking and [will leave] no stone unturned to find that guy. We know we need better play out of the quarterback position. So we're going to be aggressive."

"We have 11 picks, so if we have to give a little to go get a player, we can do it and it's not going to handcuff you for the draft," Paton said. "Everything's on the table."

Willis also created some off-field headlines Thursday:

https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1499455284846153730

The value window for Willis’ futures is likely closing, and as more NFL Draft betting markets open as the draft date nears, he’ll probably have shorter odds to be the first quarterback selected. Make sure to keep an eye on our Live Odds page throughout the week to get the best lines possible and connect with others in the SBR community on our popular sports betting forum.