Philadelphia Eagles make shocking selection in recent 2022 NFL mock

The Philadelphia Eagles are an interesting team heading into 2021 and like most teams, their success is set squarely on the shoulders of their quarterback. Jalen Hurts took over as the team’s starting signal-caller last season when Carson Wentz couldn’t get the job done anymore. Now, Hurts has a full season to prove he was worthy of trading Wentz away.

Well, Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report doesn’t feel great about the Hurts era of Eagles football, as he not only has Philadelphia landing the No. 7 overall pick in his recent mock draft but has them going with a quarterback with that pick.

Sobleski predicted the Eagles would take Liberty quarterback Malik Willis, who has shot up the draft boards after his 2020 campaign that he put on for the Flames.

Sobleski offered this analysis as to why he paired the Eagles with Willis:

"Liberty’s Malik Willis presents as much upside as any prospect counted among the upcoming quarterback crop. He brings a big arm and top-level athleticism. Another standout season for the Flames should place him among the highest-drafted players next spring."

After spending the 2017 and 2018 seasons with Auburn, Willis transferred to Liberty and first took the field for them in 2020. He made quite the impression during his inaugural season with the Flames, throwing for 2,250 yards, 20 touchdowns, and six interceptions while dashing for 944 yards and a whopping 14 touchdowns.

The Philadelphia Eagles select Malik Willis in a recent mock draft.

Willis plays in a similar style to both Hurts and Wentz, which could make Eagles fans uneasy but there’s a ton of upside with this kid and he could bring a lot of swagger to the Eagles’ offense. This is something the team desperately needs and while Willis isn’t a household name quite yet, he’ll look to continue his climb up the draft boards in the 2021 season.

Liberty isn’t a Power 5 school, which could be a knock on him, but Willis has put them on the map for the 2021 season and if he can make them relevant, who’s to say he couldn’t be the right quarterback in the City of Brotherly Love?

Hurts was never drafted to be the future of the Eagles’ organization and if he doesn’t explode onto the scene this year, the Eagles will have no problem moving on from him. If they finish the year with the No. 7 pick in the draft, moving on from Hurts seems like a near certainty and if Willis is available at that point in the draft, it’d be hard to pass on him if he continues to improve.

Sobleski also has the Eagles drafting No. 18 overall due to their trade with the Dolphins and with that pick, they go with EDGE rusher George Karlaftis out of Purdue, who would give their defense an impact player. This would be a solid first round for the Eagles.

Keep an eye on Malik Willis during college football season if you’re a Philadelphia Eagles fan because he could be the future quarterback of this organization.