Quarterback Malik Willis is expected to go in the first round. Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports

Colts meeting with QB Malik Willis even without a first-round draft pick

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 4/7/22

If nothing else, the Indianapolis Colts are keeping the football world on its figurative toes this offseason.

Indianapolis understandably gave up on the Carson Wentz experiment after a single forgettable season and shipped the quarterback to the Washington Commanders before the club acquired veteran signal-caller Matt Ryan from the Atlanta Falcons last month.

As things stand today, the Colts are without a first-round pick for the 2022 NFL Draft that gets underway April 28 but, per Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk, will nevertheless be meeting with former Liberty Flames quarterback Malik Willis next week:

From NFL Now: Among the visits coming up for Liberty QB Malik Willis are the #Falcons, #Panthers and #Colts -- all next week. pic.twitter.com/qEYhpJBykb
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 7, 2022

Willis is also scheduled to visit with the Falcons and Carolina Panthers.

Both the Falcons and Panthers have more questions than answers regarding the sport's most important position this spring, and Carolina general manager Scott Fitterer directly said in late March that "we do need a quarterback." More importantly, both of those teams possess top-10 draft selections.

In mock drafts updated this week, Ryan Wilson and Pete Prisco of CBS Sports predicted the Panthers will take Willis with the sixth overall pick. CBS' Chris Trapasso has Willis falling to the Falcons at selection No. 8, and Kyle Stackpole mocked that the Seattle Seahawks will trade up to draft Willis fifth overall.

By most accounts, Indianapolis would likely have to sacrifice multiple assets and/or players just for the chance to draft a quarterback who, ideally, wouldn't take a snap during a meaningful game next season. That reality makes their upcoming meeting with Willis interesting to note ahead of the weekend.

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