With the 2022 NFL Scouting Combine kicking off this week, a clearer picture of which players NFL teams are narrowing in on has taken shape. The Denver Broncos, a team routinely thought of as a potential candidate to draft a quarterback in the first round, has reportedly met with three quarterback prospects. Just who are those QBs? And what do you need to know about them if you’re a Broncos fan?
Denver Broncos reportedly meet with three quarterbacks
If you don’t have a quarterback, you don’t have a chance. That’s becoming all too clear in the modern NFL, and the Broncos have learned the hard way. Since the retirement of Peyton Manning, they’ve had almost a dozen different quarterbacks start at least one game, with Drew Lock, Teddy Bridgewater, Joe Flacco, Trevor Siemian, and Paxton Lynch among them.
It comes as no surprise that the Broncos are doing their due diligence on the 2022 NFL Draft QB group. According to KUSA’s Mike Klis, the Broncos met with Pitt QB Kenny Pickett, Ole Miss QB Matt Corral, and Liberty QB Malik Willis in Indianapolis on Monday night.
With this in mind and Lock under contract through the 2022 season, new questions arise around the Broncos’ QB situation. Do these quarterbacks present options to take over for Lock this fall? Will either of these three be the pick at No. 9? Are these three their quarterback favorites in this class? There are so many questions.
Broncos GM George Paton offers little specific insight
For those wanting Broncos general manager George Paton to offer up specific insight at the combine, it must have been a pipedream. Paton, knowing full well he’d be met with an onslaught of QB-centric questions, gave his two cents during his media availability in Indianapolis.
“This is just another step in the process,” Paton said. “We’ll sit down with all of them and watch them compete. This class is an interesting class. You have five or six talented guys and they’re all different. We just really need to hone it down and sort it and stack and see who’s best for the Denver Broncos if we go that direction in the draft.”
So, Paton didn’t quite offer up insight into whether or not they met with any specific quarterback yet. Regardless, one thing is for sure: Broncos fans should take time to get to know each of these quarterbacks.
Heisman finalist Kenny Pickett a favorite for Broncos?
Pickett, formerly of the Pittsburgh Panthers, was a long-term starter at the collegiate level. However, he never truly ascended to the early-round ranks until his breakout 2021 campaign. This past season, Pickett completed 67.2% of his passes for 4,319 yards, 42 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions while adding 5 rushing scores on the ground. He was a Heisman finalist and helped lead his Panthers to an ACC conference title.
Pickett was a four-year starter and threw for 12,303 career passing yards. His 42 touchdowns in his final year pushed his career passing touchdown totals to 81. Pickett surpassed the great Dan Marino in seemingly every career record category at Pittsburgh.
The talk of the Combine, however, will be surrounding Pickett’s hand size measurements. After opting to not measure at the 2022 Reese’s Senior Bowl, Pickett all but confirmed the “concerns” most have with his would-be historic measurements.
Still, Pickett showcased at the Senior Bowl that he could grip it and rip it with the best of them. He showed no cause for concern over his hand size and confirmed his double-jointed thumb could still make all the NFL throws necessary.
Matt Corral won’t throw at the Combine
Corral comes from Oxford, having benefited from the tutelage of Lane Kiffin at Ole Miss. He first drew glances in 2020 with his volatile yet exciting play. The hope was that he’d tone down that volatility and become more efficient in 2021.
That did happen, but it came at a cost. Corral was much more reserved as a passer and still left questions about his processing. But he still put up solid numbers. In the passing game, he logged 3,349 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 5 picks. And on the ground, he proved dangerous, rushing for 614 yards and 11 scores.
Corral proved to be able to make all the throws and make them from a variety of platforms. He threw for over 3,330 yards in back-to-back seasons and finished his career with 57 passing touchdowns. That athleticism saw him rush for another 18 touchdowns in his career as well.
Unfortunately, Corral won’t throw at the Combine. He sustained an injury during the Sugar Bowl to end the season. Due to this and his subsequent rehab, Corral reportedly only began throwing two weeks ago. As such, we won’t glean much from Corral as he won’t throw during simulated drills.
Could Malik Willis fall to Denver?
Willis doesn’t have the Power Five prestige of his counterparts. However, he was originally an Auburn commit before he transferred to Liberty in search of opportunity. He not only got that opportunity with the Flames but made the most of it.
A dynamic dual-threat passer, Willis put up 5,107 yards, 47 touchdowns, and 18 interceptions in two seasons at Liberty, completing 62.4% of his passes. Over that span, he also amassed 1,822 yards and 27 touchdowns on the ground.
What separates Willis from the rest of the dual-threat QB options in recent memory is his ascending arm and willingness to keep his eyes downfield. He’s a pass-first quarterback who just so happens to be able to maneuver the pocket with ease. Ultimately, he can take it for a first down with his legs if necessary, but he’ll exhaust all of his reads prior to just tucking it and running.
And when he does throw, his arm strength, zip, and velocity are never in question. Willis’ arm has gone from thrower to passer in front of our eyes over the past two years. His accuracy has increased, and his understanding of ball placement has as well. He’s a dynamic passer and athlete all wrapped in one.