Sam Howell - QB - University of North Carolina

[Mistashoesta]

I was high on Ridder for a bit, but I'm starting to lean more towards the kid from UNC. Sam Howell. He had a slight drop off in production last year but that could be attributed to injury and losing many offensive weapons. He's got great arm strength. A nice release. His footwork is solid, and hes pretty mobile. I wouldn't take him in the first (unless they wanted him eligible for a fifth year option) but in rounds 2 or 3? I'd pull the trigger on him. What do you guys think?

 

[Mix]

As much as I love a non 1st round QB, hitting on a QB and having the 5th year option keeps your window open 1 more year at value.

 

[Rat]

He's my No. 1 ranked QB in this draft. He had legitimate top-10 talk a year ago, and his fall can be largely attributed to things outside his control. He certainly has all the physical tools for the kind of offense we run.

I'd be happy using one of our second rounders to trade up into the mid-late 20s somewhere and target him. I don't think the cost would be insane.

 

[Rat]

As much as I love a non 1st round QB, hitting on a QB and having the 5th year option keeps your window open 1 more year at value.

The issue there is that if you hit on a late first round QB, he's probably not going to be happy still playing for peanuts in his fifth year.

 

[Mix]

It still gives you club control, if you hit on a late rounder you run into the same issue but without the club control. QB not a high position of holding out.

 

[AgentDib]

I could be talked into in any of the top 6 in the second round and you do see them in pretty much every possible order depending on the analyst.

Howell's strengths are a great deep ball, good mobility and high character. He was productive in Longo's RPO system at UNC with a bunch of 100 yard rushing games, and could play the budget Russ role that some people want to see. However, he also has many of the same drawbacks without necessarily the same clutch factor. Shorter, not a great pocket passer, bails out of the pocket too quickly, doesn't throw much over the middle. Seems like a higher floor/lower ceiling prospect than Willis.

The fifth year option is nice but not mandatory. The cheaper second round rookie contract also provides a huge benefit towards an affordable first extension, and at that point you've had club control for 7-8 years for a good value.

 

[Spin Doctor]

Reminds me a bit of Ben Roethlisberger. He's not the fastest guy in the world, but he sure is extremely hard to bring down. He thrives off of improvisation. I would like to see his year prior film, I haven't looked at that yet. From this years footage, boy did he have a rough time. Many players would run untouched to him and he'd have to make something happen. His offensive line sucked, his receivers couldn't catch COVID, the Flu or the cold even if they were locked in a small space with 100s of infected during autumn and winter. He would regularly hit them in the hands and they would drop it.

I don't know what to think of him yet as I have only watched about 3 games -- but the lack of talent on his team really jumped out to me.

 

[Chawker]

He seem like a well rounded QB, I'd be ok with him in Seattle.

 

[keasley45]

His highlight reel is nothing but long passes. How is he at reading defenses and distributing the ball around the field?

 

[IndyHawk]

I could be talked into in any of the top 6 in the second round and you do see them in pretty much every possible order depending on the analyst.

Howell's strengths are a great deep ball, good mobility and high character. He was productive in Longo's RPO system at UNC with a bunch of 100 yard rushing games, and could play the budget Russ role that some people want to see. However, he also has many of the same drawbacks without necessarily the same clutch factor. Shorter, not a great pocket passer, bails out of the pocket too quickly, doesn't throw much over the middle. Seems like a higher floor/lower ceiling prospect than Willis.

The fifth year option is nice but not mandatory. The cheaper second round rookie contract also provides a huge benefit towards an affordable first extension, and at that point you've had club control for 7-8 years for a good value.

This part is why I do not want him..I want to get away from any Russ like QB's who will not use the middle and bail out of clean pockets.
RPO doesn't work too well in NFL anymore since you get hit like a RB and cannot slide for protection.
Just no on short QB's.

 

[QWERTY]

I would rather use a 3rd round pick on Carson Strong.

 

[olyfan63]

His highlight reel is nothing but long passes. How is he at reading defenses and distributing the ball around the field?

He sure does have a pretty deep ball, positively Wilson-esque. But yeah, the reading defenses wasn't shown so much in those highlights. I was hoping to see a Matty F. Brown breakdown on Howell like the one he did on Ridder. I like Ridder the best out of this QB class because I see that he actually reads defenses pre-snap and directs the ball to where the offense should have an advantage. So at minimum he has that ability that so, so many NFL QBs don't. Then it becomes a matter of whether his inaccuracy/consistency issues can be fixed. The Josh Allen precedent is what we'd sure hope for if the Hawks did snag Ridder. Of course, that's a bit off topic relative to Howell. I also would have loved some footage that showed Howell reading what the defense is doing and adjusting to it and delivering a ball to the place the defense can't stop. Howell's running and mobility was better than I expected, kind of a slightly slower Patrick Mahomes. I think Howell's 40 time was 4.9, while Mahomes was 4.8. One other thing I'd expect Howell has going for him is enough humility to do the work, not being able to simply out-athlete opponents.

 

[Smellyman]

I am starting to like Howell more and more. Stocky thick guy like Russ so hopefully durable too, but 6'1 220. Good deep ball, strong, quick, tough. No problem taking a flyer on him.

Instead of just highlights, full game highlights are often better to watch.


I think they should take a QB in 2nd and if he works out then don't have to hope for stroud or young next year. It's tough to find a QB and the only way to find one is to take a chance.

 

[GemCity]

Long wind up, slow release. Nice deep ball though.

I’ll be disappointed if they take him, or any other QB for that matter, in this draft.

 

[Smellyman]

I like his short wind up and quick release. Ha