Is Malik Willis QB1 for Commanders after Combine and Ron Rivera comparison?

The start of NFL free agency is upon us, but April’s draft is currently all the rage with the Combine taking place in Indianapolis this week.

Holders of the No. 11 overall pick, the Washington Commanders could go a number of different directions with their first round draft choice. In a vacuum, the front office could justify drafting a quarterback as long as it’s not considered a reach.

Here’s another scenario for you. If they have their sights set on a linebacker or wide receiver, two massive needs, they could trade back a few spots and obtain an extra pick if they know Nakobe Dean, Devin Lloyd, Treylon Burks, Garrett Wilson or someone of that ilk will be available in the middle of Round 1.

The possibilities are truly endless, but let’s keep this conversation focused on the quarterback position. By all accounts, Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett, whose stock may or may not have taken a hit after his hand measurement, and Liberty’s Malik Willis are the only prospects worth taking that high.

We get the sense the Commanders are high on both quarterbacks, but we can’t help but speculate whether Willis sits atop their draft board after Ron Rivera likened the 22-year-old to a trailblazer of dual-threat QBs.

Commanders head coach Ron Rivera compared Malik Willis to Cam Newton at the NFL Combine.

That’s right, folks. During a brief sit-down with CBS Sports at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Rivera revealed he’s noticed some similarities between Willis and Cam Newton, his former No. 1 overall pick and league MVP.

"You know what’s interesting about (Willis) in particular, is there are a lot of similar traits to these guys that’ve had success in our league. And I was fortunate enough to have drafted one of them in Cam Newton, who’s a very special player.This young man has a tremendous skill set. Will some of those things he does translate? Absolutely. Will there be some things he’ll have to learn and develop and grow on? Absolutely. But I can tell you I’ve had the opportunity to interview him. He’s a heck of a young man and he shows he’s got the football acumen you need to be successful in this league."

That’s a pretty ringing endorsement from Rivera. As a former nine-year veteran and Super Bowl champion as a player and a two-time AP Coach of the Year, Rivera doesn’t go around handing out compliments willy nilly.

It’s clear the 60-year-old coach holds Willis in a high regard, which begs the question of whether he’s the top QB on their draft board. Couple that with how the 22-year-old looked at the Combine, and it’s definitely a question worth tackling.

The last thing we want to do is gush over prospects throwing passes in a controlled environment (nice weather, no pads, no pass rush, etc.), but Willis definitely wowed a lot of scouts with his arm strength. His throws over the middle had a ton of zip and accuracy and he connected on some pretty-looking deep shots.

Willis’ best throw of the evening was probably THE best throw of any quarterback on a go route down the left sideline. Watch how the potential top-10 pick puts enough air under it to let Garrett Wilson run under it in stride.

Say what you will about the Combine’s controlled environment. There’s no doubt Willis’ stock rose with that throw alone. While he might be the most raw prospect in this class, his arm talent is without question the best.

Getting back to Newton, the similarities between him and Willis extend far beyond their respective athletic traits. Though he didn’t graduate from there, Willis attended his first three years of high school at Westlake, Newton’s alma mater.

Even more hair-raising? Willis played two seasons at Auburn before he transferred to Liberty. The last time we checked, Newton put forth a legendary season for the Tigers in 2010 en route to winning the Heisman Trophy.

Of course, Willis isn’t as NFL-ready as Newton was. While the Liberty star likely needs a redshirt year to develop before he’s ready to start, Cam started 16 games and compiled 35 total touchdowns as a rookie.

With that said, their career trajectories are eerily similar and both clearly have Rivera’s utmost respect. Whether that translates to Washington making Willis the No. 11 overall pick remains to be seen, but the fact Rivera compared him to his former quarterback for nine seasons definitely shouldn’t go unnoticed.