If Sam Howell hadn’t already won over Washington Commanders fans with his Week 18 performance against the Dallas Cowboys last year, then he did during Friday night’s preseason game against the Cleveland Browns.
Howell threw a touchdown and had only three incompletions on 12 pass attempts, none of which were missed throws.
Every time Howell has taken the field for the Commanders, he has impressed. So why is he not getting more attention outside of D.C.? Why are there still doubters of his potential as a franchise QB? It’s simple: because he was a fifth-round pick.
Quarterbacks drafted outside of the first round rarely turn out to be long-term starters. So, playing the numbers game, Howell’s chances are slim. However, context is important, and it’s worth remembering that Howell was projected to be taken much higher than he was.
Entering his final year of college at North Carolina, Howell was widely considered a top-ten pick and even had a chance to go first overall. Even leading up to the 2022 NFL Draft, some mocks still had him going in the first round.
Howell’s numbers did decline between his sophomore and junior college seasons, causing the drop on the draft boards. That can be explained too, though, as future notable NFLers Javonte Williams, Michael Carter, and Dyami Brown all departed UNC’s offense between those seasons, leaving Howell with much fewer weapons.
So Howell isn’t your ordinary fifth-round pick, and that’s been proven in his NFL opportunities thus far. That’s important perspective to keep in mind when discussing his ceiling, which, if you discount where he was drafted, is very high.
Had Howell simply been taken in the first round by the Commanders, he would be touted as one of the most promising young QBs in the league right now. But, since he fell to late in the draft, he’ll have to settle for being Washington’s secret weapon for now.
