Washington's Carver Willis is prepared for change following the NFL Combine

When Carver Willis stepped up to the podium for his NFL Combine media interviews, he knew where his immediate future would take him. The former Kansas State Wildcat, who started 10 games at left tackle for the Huskies in 2025, has been preparing to move from offensive tackle to the interior since at least January’s Panini Senior Bowl.

“I’ve been training more for that. I will continue to train more for that,” Willis said regarding a positional change. “I had the unique opportunity to play all five [positions] at the Senior Bowl. I don’t know if anyone else did that, but you know, you get put in situations and do your best.”

The Durango, Colo. native earned two all-conference honorable mention honors at tackle while in college, but concerns about his arm length have caused most scouts and analysts to project him as a future guard. Willis had a great week of drills at the Senior Bowl, but concerns around his arm length were affirmed during the scrimmage, when he allowed a sack after being straight-armed by Alabama’s LT Overton:

Carver Willis’ combine confirms future as interior blocker and depth piece

On Sunday, Willis’ arms were officially measured at 32 ½ inches, half an inch below the 33-inch baseline most teams use when searching for offensive tackles. Willis isn’t too far off that mark, but teams will be wary of short-armed tackles given the struggles of former No. 4 overall pick Will Campbell. Campbell’s 32 ⅝ -inch arms raised some eyebrows in the predraft process, and those concerns grew this postseason when he allowed a record-breaking 29 pressures across four playoff games with the New England Patriots.

When field workouts began, Willis tested fairly well in the 40-yard dash. His last time officially clocked in at 5.11 seconds, which is considerably faster than the NFL’s average offensive lineman time of 5.26 seconds. 

However, this year’s draft class was the fastest ever, and Willis’ time was only good for 21st among 39 participants. He also clocked the fifth-slowest 10-yard split (1.84 seconds), which could raise concerns about his short-area burst as a downfield blocker.

Willis didn’t perform the three-cone or 20-yard shuttle drills, but his explosiveness was below-average in the jumps. His 9-foot broad jump ranked only 25th of 39, and his 26.50-inch vertical tied for the group’s second-shortest. He also did not participate in Monday’s bench press.

Thankfully, Willis looked fluid during the untimed agility drills. His positional versatility also earned him some attention: He was one of 13 total prospects asked to take snaps at center following on-field drilling:

We’re unlikely to know whether Willis’ future lies at center or guard until the conclusion of the NFL Draft. Willis might have to wait a while to hear his name called, but he made it clear during combine interviews that his versatility makes him an appealing prospect.

“The ability to swing out to tackle in a pinch is going to be rare,” Willis said. “If you have someone that can be a productive, starting-caliber guard, with the ability to play left and right already having trained in both, and then in a pinch can give you four or five games at tackle … I think [that] is a huge asset.”

Willis, who was forced to watch from the sidelines for three games this past season after tearing his MCL against Ohio State, also voiced a team-first mentality when asked about potentially being drafted as a backup.

“For me, showing up and being my best and being prepared, that’s the mindset no matter if I’m starting or fighting to be on the roster,” Willis said.  

“The preparation for being a backup and being a starter is the same, because the backup has to have the responsibilities of the starter if the starter goes down,” he said. “For me, [my mentality is to] just show up, do your best, be the most prepared you can be, and then when you go in the game, play free.”

What will the future hold for Willis? We’ll have a much better idea after the NFL Draft, which will run from April 23-25 in Pittsburgh, Penn. Keep reading The Husky Haul as we unpack mock drafts, free agency, and more on the countdown to draft day.