Sam Howell Caught Washington’s Eye Long Before They Drafted the QB

Howell caught Washington’s eye lengthy earlier than they drafted the QB initially appeared on NBC Sports activities Washington

After the 2021 NFL common season concluded, Washington’s entrance workplace set on a mission to discover a franchise quarterback. The Commanders’ QB1 quest led to early March when the workforce acquired Carson Wentz in a commerce with Indianapolis.

Because the 2022 NFL Draft was approaching, the Commanders weren’t going to keep away from being attentive to the place altogether. Sure, Wentz is the man in Washington (for now), however even head coach Ron Rivera instructed pre-draft they may add a signal-caller within the later rounds. And, when North Carolina’s Sam Howell was nonetheless accessible within the fifth spherical, the selection for Washington was straightforward.

“To have Sam fall to us was one thing we needed to soar on,” Rivera stated on Saturday. “We really feel it is a dwelling run for us.”

Rivera and normal supervisor Martin Mayhew every gave a number of causes as to why they chose Howell in the course of the workforce’s post-draft press convention on Saturday. But, there have been a number of feedback from every that particularly stood out. 

For starters, Rivera was fast to say that the workforce and its scouts regarded deep into Howell’s tape, courting again to each the 2019 and 2020 seasons. Howell, a three-year starter for the Tar Heels, performed his greatest ball throughout these two campaigns earlier than present process a sequence of personnel modifications coming into final fall.

“It will be unfair should you did not contemplate his 2020 season, simply wanting again at what he did,” Rivera stated.

In 2020, North Carolina’s offense was loaded. The workforce had a pair of 1,000-yard rushers in Javonte Williams and Michael Carter, two gamers that shined on the NFL stage as rookies final season. On the skin, Howell had two future NFL targets in Dyami Brown, who the Commanders drafted within the third spherical final yr, and Dazz Newsome, a sixth-round choice by Chicago.

With that group, Howell shined. The then-sophomore quarterback threw for practically 3,600 yards with 30 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. North Carolina completed with an 8-4 file and an Orange Bowl look towards Texas A&M.

Washington scouted virtually all of these gamers in the course of the 2021 pre-draft cycle, which additionally gave the Commanders its first likelihood to have a look at Howell for the upcoming yr.

Howell, not eligible for the 2021 NFL Draft, opted to throw at UNC’s Professional Day final spring to permit his two wideouts, Brown and Newsome, the prospect to catch passes from the QB they had been aware of. Howell’s choice to take part at that occasion nonetheless stands out to Mayhew even over one yr later.

“One factor that actually impressed me about him final yr was the Professional Day at North Carolina. When all these guys had been popping out, he got here out and threw for these guys,” Mayhew stated. “And quite a lot of guys wouldn’t do this in the event that they did not need to. And he placed on a present, he placed on a present, and I used to be there. [Executive Vice President of Football for Player Personnel] Marty [Hurney] was there. All of us noticed that. He actually caught my eye on that day, and I began watching him.”

It is no secret that the 2021 season didn’t go as deliberate for Howell. Getting into the autumn, the quarterback was firmly within the dialog to be the No. 1 total decide in 2022. However a mix of a number of elements, together with the losses of 4 NFL-bound offensive talent gamers, led Howell to have his least productive season in Chapel Hill.

But, though Howell was unable to match his passing totals of 2019 and 2020, he nonetheless turned in a strong yr for the Tar Heels. The quarterback completed with over 3,000 passing yards with 24 touchdowns and simply 9 interceptions, a more-than-solid stat line total.

“Yeah, clearly just a little little bit of a problem,” Howell stated on the 2021 season. “We misplaced a pair guys, however for me, I would not commerce final yr for something. I feel I discovered a lot this previous season that made me total a greater soccer participant and a greater individual. For me, I actually would not commerce something. I would not commerce final season for something on the earth. I discovered a lot final season and I am ceaselessly grateful for all of the teammates I had final season. I actually could not say something adverse about it.”

As a junior in 2021, Howell showcased a special a part of his sport: his means to run the soccer. After speeding for simply 205 yards over his first two seasons, Howell totaled 828 yards on the bottom in 2021 to go together with 11 scores by way of his legs. North Carolina’s offense needed to change after dropping loads of expertise and Howell was capable of adapt.

“It is a man that had a complete group of latest starters that he needed to try to work with and get used to and but he was nonetheless very, very productive,” Rivera stated. “… We spent quite a lot of time taking a look at his 2020 tape, took quite a lot of time taking a look at his 2021 tape. I truly learn a extremely fascinating article about him. And the factor that actually was identified within the article was the lack of playmakers after which the lack of the offensive line in entrance of him, after which the swap to what they had been doing offensively to try to capitalize on his means.”

Mayhew echoed an identical sentiment, too.

“I used to be actually impressed with the season final yr,” Mayhew added. “And like Coach [Rivera] stated, he misplaced quite a lot of weapons and I assumed they modified the sport plan considerably to attempt to alter for that, which I feel took away from his means to play his greatest ball this previous yr. So I am actually enthusiastic about having him with us.”

All through the pre-draft course of, Rivera, Mayhew and the remainder of Washington’s brass spoke with a number of folks inside UNC’s program about Howell. They got here away from these conversations with the understanding that Howell was very well-liked in Chapel Hill and has true management traits.

In Washington, they will be no stress on Howell, both. He enters because the third-string QB behind Wentz and Taylor Heinicke, with growth the principle objective for the 2022 season. Howell himself is thrilled to be in Washington and known as it the “good spot” for him the place he can be taught behind Wentz, too.

“It is a worth decide, a developmental decide,” Rivera stated. “It is a man that has no stress, the place he can sit again, be taught from a few high quality guys and who is aware of what occurs in a while.”