The unique part of Willis this preseason, aside from the highlight reel above, was the true progression we saw on a weekly basis. Willis’ initial outing against the Baltimore Ravens featured your typical lows for a quertback entering the league with weaknesses similar to his (inconsistent mechanics, underdeveloped pocket awareness, offense more simplistic than the one at the NFL level) which lead to him bailing from clean pockets prematurely. Fast forward to Tennessee’s second game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers where we saw him making strides in all three facets and their final game against the Arizona Cardinals where he further showcased improvements. He has a longer path to the starting job than the two picked before him, primarily because of the talent in front of him unlike said duo, but the preseason was a clear indication of Willis’ potential.
Matt Corral (Carolina Panthers)
Not far behind Willis was Corral whom the Panthers traded up for to select with the 94th pick, a question that retroactively raised some eyebrows following their trade for Baker Mayfield. With PJ Walker and Sam Darnold also on the roster, it became increasingly confusing when Matt Rhule elected to have Corral and fourth quarterback, PJ Walker, split reps in their second preseason game against the New England Patriots.
The tough competitor entered the NFL as a quality passer capable of making throws at every level and generating offense when forced off of his spot. Unfortunately for the high-upside passer, Corral finished his NFL debut against the Washington Commanders by going 1-9 passing for 11 yards including a game-winning drive in which he didn’t complete a single pass. Things improved statistically the following week against the Patriots (9-of-15 for 58 yards), but not much beyond that: Corral went down with a season-ending Lisfranc injury. The hope is that Corral’s injury doesn’t stunt his growth moving forward.
Bailey Zappe (New England Patriots)
Selecting Zappe at pick 137 was very apropos for a franchise that has seen firsthand the value of backup quarterbacks. The Houston Baptist transfer followed offensive coordinator, Zach Kittley, to Western Kentucky for his final season where he established new FBS records in passing yards (5,967) and passing touchdowns (62).