He can fire the ball into his receivers with very little effort. Sources: Heinicke starts, Howell to play for Wash. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. Benefits from an offensive system that creates easy reads and mismatches against coverage That's not very encouraging. Senses pressure and steps up to avoid defenders. The accolades rolled in as Howell was named the ACC Offensive and Rookie Player of the Year and earned FWAA Freshman All-American honors. While hes repaired his ailing stock some in the pre-draft process, there are still areas for improvement that could prevent Howell from ascending to the top of the class. Copyright: ESPN Sports Media Ltd. All rights reserved. . The then-19-year-old went tit for tat with Lawrence, notching two touchdowns and zero picks as UNC fell just short of beating Lawrence and No. After playing another two games, Howell stood against Wake Forest, where he broke the multiple records and set another career-high passing yard for the Tar Heels with 59-53 and a victory for the Tar Heels. Wingspan: 78 7/8 inches, Height: 6-foot-3 Howell is an especially interesting case. Howell had an interesting recruitment. The minimum threshold for a quarterbacks hand size has been perceived to be nine inches. Kenny Pickett of Pittsburgh, Desmond Ridder of Cincinnati, Malik Willis of Liberty and Matt Corral of Ole Miss are the quarterbacks who have been picked ahead . QB-ONLY MOCK DRAFT:Projecting where Pickett, Willis & 10 others will go. A year ago, Sam . Mar 4th, 3:30PM. For today, lets take a brief look at Pittsburghs Kenny Pickett and North Carolinas Sam Howell. The North Carolina QB gets the ball out of his hands with impressive quickness. Today, Ill be profiling a quarterback prospect the Pittsburgh Steelers have shown interest in this fall and that could rank high on their board come Draft Day. Hand Size: 9 3/4 inches Desmond Ridder Hand Size. Sam Howell 2020 North Carolina Highlights || HDBe sure to like and subscribe to Prince Highlights Sam Howell needs to beat Carson Wentz, but this is more a question of when rather than how if Wentz is as bad as the fantasy community believes. He added a rushing touchdown and 571 total yards, part of a school-record 742 total yards of offense. This year, one of the main focuses has been on Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett. The Commanders are reportedly telling . 0:00. He rushes for 828 . What makes him such a difficult case study is you wont see much movement in his weaknesses while his strengths are still there. Howell: Slide 'stressful,' but glad to land in D.C. Seattle's quarterbacks coach Dave Canales has been making the rounds to watch the top QB prospects throw at their pro days recently, including Malik Willis at Liberty and Kenny Pickett at Pitt. While pocket management is difficult to be objective about given his subpar offensive line play, there are some areas where Howell could help himself. The Washington Commanders selected quarterback Sam Howell in the fifth round (No. When looking for translatable traits, Howell has that feather in his cap. This made him win another honor of Second-team All-ACC honors in the process. Combine - While Sam Howell didn't test at the Combine, most measurements aren't important for QBs. By Sam Fortier. Negatives: Tends to backpedal into the pocket and needs work on his drops. Running this offense presents a challenge. Times-News. For reference, Daunte Culpepper was consistently criticized for having small hands. That led me to compare Howells game to that of Russell Wilson, and the two also share many similarities when it comes to being undersized passers with the arm talent to attack all quadrants of the field as well as the ability to escape the pocket and extend plays as a passer and runner. With his continuous hard work and playing capacity, he has witnessed himself the winning of various records, including Second-team All-ACC (2020), Third-team All-ACC (2019), ACC Rookie of the Year (2019), ACC Offensive Rookie of the Year (2019), USA Today Freshman All-American (2019), and . They have similar size, builds, and arms, although Howell has more juice as a scrambler. Sam Howell. Both of these quarterbacks have 9 1/8 inch hands, and it was the rookie who came out on top in the . Class: Jr; . Sam Howell trying to get back on track. Heres an example of Howell extending the play with his legs outside of the pocket where he immediately gets pressure coming off the edge and up the middle, flushing him out where he stiff-arms #21 Marvin Wilson as he runs to the sideline and gets off the pass while getting shoved out of bounds to Newsome who makes the diving catch near the line to gain. Fails to set his feet on throws and will bounce around in the pocket as he waits for his receiver to break open The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. I'd do anything for my team, Howell said. Throwing to the opposite hash is one of the most difficult passes to make for a quarterback, and Howell puts it on a rope where only his intended target could make the play. From a weight standpoint, Howell is well-built, a factor that makes him tough to bring down as he can absorb hits effectively while still standing on his feet. Height: 6-foot Weight: 221 pounds Hand Size: 9 1/8 inches Arm Length: 31 1/8 inches Wingspan: 75 5/8 inches. 1 Pick, The Case for C.J. Sam Howell kept an NC postcard on his mirror in high school with the sub par physical stats, like height and hand size. Per Eric Edholm of Yahoo, Picketts hand size is 8 1/4 inches, which would tie the smallest ever mentioned at the combine. Moreover, his 38 passing touchdowns in 2019 set an FBS record for passes by a true freshman. There will be no apples to apples comparison to other top prospects. When the California native finally takes the field for talent evaluators, it will be just him at his Pro Day. Their connection from North Carolina might be more fruitful than most expect. Sam Howell scouting report. Has great deep ball placement, possessing the arch and accuracy to drop it in the bucket All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. Below is an aggregation of the most notable measurements by position at the NFL Combine, according to Pro Football Focus. However, that means a team can pick up a high . Shows a sense of timing on passes, has a live arm, and immediately gets the ball out of his hand. Howell won't hear his name as early as he may have thought, but his fall from early first-rounder to likely Day 2 selection may have its perks. 66 to the Lions in his latest mock draft a far cry for a player who just months ago seemed like a surefire early first-rounder. While going into his sophomore season, Howell received a lot of national recognition. Sam Howell pulls off a trick play for North Carolina TD, Howell and Olson connect for touchdown to extend lead, End Zone! Bailey Zappe. Pro Football Network, LLC. Howell doesn't have elite athleticism and he struggled with decision-making in his final season in Chapel Hill. Nonetheless, Howell has a scouting report worthy of serious consideration in the early part of the 2022 NFL Draft. Accurate, leads receivers with throws, and lets them run to the ball and make receptions in stride. Buy Tar Heels Tickets. 6-1 , 220lb (185cm, 99kg) Draft: 5th round, 144th overall of the 2022 NFL draft by the Washington Commanders. "I want them to really know how good of a leader I was at North Carolina, and how every single one of those guys on my team would fight for me. Wingspan: 72 3/4 inches, Height: 6-foot That is up for debate, but among NFL decision-makers it will be a major talking point. After achieving a highly publicized recruiting personality, Howell appeared to play for the University of North Carolina and flipped his original choice of Florida State University. Howell may not have elite athleticism, but he has good mobility for the QB position and understands how to avoid pressure when the pocket collapses. However, it is hard not to be impressed by his arm strength. Once Howell found his comfort level as a college quarterback, he opened up his game to devastating effect. When Howell debuted against South Carolina, the young QB became the first-ever true freshman to start a season opener under center for the Tar Heels. Through 10 games, Pickett has thrown for 3,517 yards, 32 touchdowns and four interceptions. But those thoughts fell apart after having his worst season in the college ranks thanks to a heavy overhaul to his supporting cast. By necessity, Howell was forced into a more mobile role, powering his way to 828 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. Not a real elusive quarterback who can be relied on to pick up yardage with his legs like he did in 2021. The announcement probably won't come . The North Carolina quarterback is able to hang tough in the pocket, take a hit, and rebound. When the Washington Commanders selected Howell, the choice was universally praised around the league. Hand Size: 9 1/2 inches He played college football for the North Carolina Tar Heels and is the recipient of many records for his team including the most passing yards of his career 10,283, a total of 109 touchdowns, 92 touchdown passes, and 38 single-season touchdown passes. School: North Carolina. These players could be potential top 10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 selections and priority undrafted free agents. Already highly regarded, Howell dominated in his senior season. As Commanders eye the future, Sam Howell makes a case to be part of it. However, statistics dont tell the full story. He added 59 yards on the ground, including a 32-yard . Howells 30 passing touchdowns led the ACC, with his 68 touchdown passes through two seasons being the most in conference history. 40-yard dash: DNP Bench . In no way affiliated with or endorsed by the Pittsburgh Steelers or NFL. Wide receivers Dazz Newsome and Dyami Brown were two of the most dynamic playmakers in the ACC. Howell also needs to demonstrate consistency in relation to accuracy. All Rights Reserved. North Carolina QB Sam Howell was a trendy preseason Heisman candidate before the 2021 campaign kicked off. Entering the season in the mix for the QB1 moniker of the 2022 NFL Draft, Sam Howell has been a highly rated quarterback prospect since his impressive 2019 freshman campaign. Howell was listed as a four-star quarterback by 247 Sports and ranked as the No. In the backfield were Javonte Williams and Michael Carter, two 1,000-yard rushers. Value Over Stream: Valuation scheme calculates a players fantasy pts/game over the average waiver wire replacement in standard fantasy league formats during either the current season (or previous year during the offseason) and adjusts for positional bust rates. . 0:43. ASHBURN, VA - JUNE 14: Sam Howell #14 of the Washington Commanders participates in a drill during the organized team activity at INOVA Sports Performance Center on June 14, 2022 in Ashburn, Virginia. Started all 13 games at quarterback as a true freshman, completing 259 of 422 passes (61.4%) for 3641 yards and 38 TDs with seven INTs while adding 94 carries for 35 yards (counting sacks) and a score on the ground Howells physicality also manifests itself in the form of competitive toughness. Add another one to the list. Washington's rookie quarterback Sam Howell had a promising debut on Sunday. MOBILE, Ala. Two years ago, Sam Howell became a top quarterback prospect. This year, hes developed vision as a runner and used his physicality to become a constant threat on the ground. Quick hands in the RPO game when it comes from snap-to-pass or completing the option handoff to pull and pass Pickett has incredible poise in the pocket and the requisite playmaking ability you want to see from your quarterback. Howell is an intelligent, accurate quarterback who possesses an excellent arm. Come Get Me: Jordan Addison Sends Clear Message to Steelers, Steelers Draft Profile: Miami CB Tyrique Stevenson Would Love a Reunion with George Pickens, Antonio Brown Set to Become Part of AFL Teams Ownership Group, Steelers Draft Profile: Wisconsin LB Nick Herbig Looking to Follow Mentor T.J. Watts Path to NFL. The hometown kid he went to high school just outside Charlotte, N.C., about two hours from Chapel Hill . He'll likely have lower expectations, which will allow him to develop away from the spotlight. As the NFL Combine is underway, Sporting News will be tracking measurements of top prospects, according to SN's Vinnie Iyer, this week. Howell started the season as a leading contender for the QB1 of the 2022 NFL Draft class. I think Jake Fromm gave us a drop in the draft partially because of his hand size. Arm Length: 30 5/8 inches Perhaps it's an indication of the direction the league is headed. Willis also earned some credit off the field when he was spotted doing a random act of kindness for a homeless person. Sign up and get all of our posts sent directly to your inbox! If he were to have declared for the 2021 draft, Pickett likely would have been a mid-round selection. The gap between he and the other passers was evident. 2 quarterback in his first 2022 NFL Draft Big Board, Projecting where Pickett, Willis & 10 others will go. The combination of Longo and Howell, alongside some dynamic playmakers, made the North Carolina offense one of the most explosive in the nation. A three-star recruit out of New Jersey, Pickett has started for the Panthers for four seasons, including four starts as a true freshman in 2017. Removed from some of the mitigating circumstances that hobbled his season, hes been able to showcase some of the next-level potential that he possesses. Rather, he would try to play another game with the team instead of making his NFL draft. There were no signs of a sophomore slump in 2016. and that the Steelers aren't always going to show their hand. Please check your email for a confirmation. 7. Arm Length: 31 1/4 inches Although his once-revered NFL Draft profile took somewhat of a hit this year, a 32-team attendance at the UNC Pro Day demonstrated that Howell should still garner plenty of attention in the 2022 NFL Draft. To be successful at the position in the NFL, King would need to display pinpoint accuracy, arm strength and mobility. 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. While he didnt suffer the complete and utter collapse of contemporary Spencer Rattler, a difficult 2021 season has clouded his standing, which is truly saying something in this murkiest of quarterback classes. Previously, he showcased enough athletic ability to evade pressure in the pocket and extend plays. 1 PPI player page is the most frequently visited page in recent weeks. North Carolina quarterback Sam Howell (7) reacts after scoring a touchdown on an 18-yard run in the first quarter to give the Tar Heels a 7-3 lead over Wake Forest on . The Case for Anthony Richardson To Be the No. January 8, 2023 6:31 pm ET. Hand Size: 9 1/4 inches Watch him take the snap here against Texas A&M at his own 20yd line and roll out to his left to evade pressure, setting his feet and delivering the ball nearly to the opposite 25yd line to his receiver in-stride for the walk-in TD. Howell has an NFL arm that can make all the necessary throws. Howell went to complete his true freshman season with 234 out of 388 attempts for 3,347 yards and 35 touchdowns, including 7 interceptions for the regular season. Height: 6-foot-0.25 Weight: 221 pounds Arm length: 31.125 inches Hand size: 9.125 inches 2021 PFF grade: 91.1 Sam Howell is one of the more underrated quarterback . A legit threat in the option game and when flushed out of the pocket as a runner But as one recent Super Bowl-bound quarterback showed, hand size isn't everything. Many have questioned Howells leadership ability due to his quiet demeanor and somewhat loose feeling at times in the pocket. Hand size: 9 1/8 Arm length: 30 3/4 Wingspan: TBD. The mindset and effort you love to see in your quarterback. Howell was surrounded by NFL-caliber talent during his first two years. The 2022 quarterback class hasn't received rave reviews. Howell started the season as a leading contender for the QB1 of the 2022 NFL Draft class. After his sensational sophomore season, however, Howells 2021 campaign failed to live up to the high level of expectation. Weight: 217 pounds Call 1-800-GAMBLER (PA/IL) or 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN only) or 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA only) or 1-800-522-4700 (CO Only) or TN REDLINE: 800-889-9789. During the 2015 season, he threw for 3,586 passing yards and 35 touchdowns while adding another 6 scores on the ground. He will need a coaching staff willing to give him time to learn and grow. With the Washington Commanders out of the playoff race, the team made the decision to go to rookie Sam Howell for the Week 18 battle against the Dallas Cowboys. By Jonathan M. Alexander. Like at the NFL Draft, players are weighed and measured in what used to be a rather unseemly display of parading young men in their underwear in front of press and NFL teams.