Malik Willis facts for kids
Willis in 2022
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| No. 7 – Tennessee Titans | |||||||||||||||||
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| Position: | Quarterback | ||||||||||||||||
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| Born: | May 25, 1999 College Park, Georgia, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) | ||||||||||||||||
| Weight: | 219 lb (99 kg) | ||||||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||||||
| High school: | Roswell (Roswell, Georgia) |
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| College: |
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| NFL Draft: | 2022 / Round: 3 / Pick: 86 | ||||||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||||||
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| Roster status: | Active | ||||||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics as of 2023 | |||||||||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||||||
Malik Antonio Willis (/məˈliːk/ MƏ-leek; born May 25, 1999) is an American football quarterback for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Auburn before transferring to Liberty, where he won the 2020 Dudley Award. Willis was drafted by the Titans in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
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Early years
Willis attended Westlake High School in Atlanta before transferring to Roswell High School in Roswell, Georgia, for his senior year. As a senior, he passed for 2,562 yards and rushed for 1,033 yards with 37 total touchdowns. He committed to Auburn University to play college football.
College career
Auburn
Willis spent 2017 and 2018 at Auburn and played in 15 games. During the two years, he completed 11 of 14 passes for 69 yards with a touchdown and rushed for 309 yards and two touchdowns.
Liberty
Willis transferred to Liberty University in 2019 following a quarterback competition with Bo Nix and sat out the season due to transfer rules. In 2020, he was named the team's starting quarterback. Against Southern Mississippi, he threw for six touchdowns and rushed for another.
Willis was named the winner of the 2020 Dudley Award, given to the best college football player in the state of Virginia, and was the recipient of the 2021 Bobby Bowden Award, awarded to the best college football player who epitomizes being a Christian student-athlete. He was named MVP of the 2020 Cure Bowl and the 2021 LendingTree Bowl.
College statistics
| Season | Team | Games | Passing | Rushing | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Record | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | ||
| 2017 | Auburn | 7 | 0 | 0–0 | 6 | 7 | 85.7 | 45 | 1 | 0 | 186.9 | 16 | 221 | 13.8 | 1 |
| 2018 | Auburn | 5 | 0 | 0–0 | 5 | 7 | 71.4 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 100.2 | 12 | 88 | 7.3 | 1 |
| 2019 | Liberty | 0 | 0 | — | did not play due to NCAA transfer rules | ||||||||||
| 2020 | Liberty | 10 | 10 | 9–1 | 170 | 265 | 64.2 | 2,250 | 20 | 6 | 155.8 | 141 | 944 | 6.7 | 14 |
| 2021 | Liberty | 13 | 13 | 8–5 | 207 | 339 | 61.1 | 2,857 | 27 | 12 | 151.1 | 197 | 878 | 4.5 | 13 |
| Career | 35 | 23 | 17–6 | 388 | 618 | 62.8 | 5,176 | 48 | 18 | 152.9 | 366 | 2,131 | 5.8 | 29 | |
Professional career
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand size | Wonderlic | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 0+1⁄2 in (1.84 m) |
219 lb (99 kg) |
31+3⁄4 in (0.81 m) |
9+1⁄2 in (0.24 m) |
32 | ||||||||
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Willis was drafted in the third round (86th overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans. He was considered a surprise fall in the draft as he was projected by some to be selected as high as second overall. He signed his four-year rookie contract on July 23, 2022.
Willis made his NFL debut in Week 2 against the Buffalo Bills in the third quarter after the Titans benched Ryan Tannehill. He completed one of his four passing attempts while throwing for six yards and rushed for 16 yards in the 41–7 loss.
Willis was named as a starter in Week 8 against the Houston Texans, relieving Ryan Tannehill due to illness. In his first start, Willis completed 6 of 10 pass attempts for 55 yards and one interception in a 17–10 victory.
Willis started in place of an injured Tannehill for a second consecutive week in Week 9 against the Kansas City Chiefs. He completed 5 of his 16 passing attempts for 80 yards in the 20–17 overtime loss. In Week 16 against the Houston Texans, Willis started in place of Tannehill, who had aggravated an ankle injury. In the contest, he completed 14 of 23 passes for 99 passing yards and two interceptions as the Titans lost, 19–14.
NFL career statistics
| Year | Team | Games | Passing | Rushing | Sacked | Fumbles | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Record | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | Lng | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Y/A | Lng | TD | Sck | Yds | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2022 | TEN | 8 | 3 | 1–2 | 31 | 61 | 50.8 | 276 | 4.5 | 48 | 0 | 3 | 42.8 | 27 | 123 | 4.6 | 17 | 1 | 10 | 49 | 3 | 2 |
| 2023 | TEN | 3 | 0 | — | 4 | 5 | 80.0 | 74 | 14.8 | 48 | 0 | 0 | 118.8 | 5 | 21 | 4.2 | 11 | 0 | 4 | 30 | 1 | 1 |
| Career | 11 | 3 | 1–2 | 35 | 66 | 53.0 | 350 | 5.3 | 48 | 0 | 3 | 49.4 | 32 | 144 | 4.5 | 17 | 1 | 14 | 79 | 4 | 3 | |
Personal life
Willis’ uncle is 10-year NFL linebacker James Anderson.
