fbpx
Home / frontnfl / 2022 NFL Draft Scouting Report: QB Sam Howell
AP Photo/Carlos Osorio

2022 NFL Draft Scouting Report: QB Sam Howell


Big Board ranking: #50

Positional ranking: #5

 

Overview

Position: QB

College: North Carolina

Class: Junior

Age: 21

 

Measurables

Height: 6’0 5/8”

Weight: 218 lbs.

Arm length: 30 3/4″

Hand size: 9 1/8″

 

Athletic testing

40-yard dash: N/A

Vertical jump: N/A

Broad jump: N/A

Bench press: N/A

3-cone drill: N/A

Short shuttle: N/A

 

Strengths

Extremely quick and compact release. Excellent short accuracy. Very good accuracy between the numbers. Plenty of experience with RPOs. Hits receivers on the numbers and in stride underneath. Impressive torque/velocity. Natural feel for throwing between coverage. Great feet to move or escape in the pocket. Sudden changing platform and setting to throw. Accurate on curls versus zone coverage. Can put requisite touch on deeper throws. Ideal arc on the go ball. Able to hit targets with a downfield back-shoulder ball. Has shown he will stand in the pocket and allow things to develop. Very quick and accurate delivering the ball on wide receiver screens. Very good mobility. Good on-the-move accuracy. Keeps eyes downfield in the pocket but is quick to recognize open space to run. Tough and productive as a runner. Surprising contact balance with multiple highlight runs where defenders bounced off him. Absorbed some crushing hits without missing action. Has shown he will slide.

 

Weaknesses

Accuracy is inconsistent outside the numbers. Would like to see him more willing to take checkdowns and short throws on the perimeter that are open. Can predetermine some reads/throws and locks on too long. Needs to look off defenders more. Sailed too many in-breaking throws. Will hold the ball to long and get reckless trying to escape a sack at times. Increased reliance on running in 2021 due to loss of playmaking could have led to difficult-to-break habits.

 

NFL comparison

Baker Mayfield

 

Conclusion

Overall, Howell is an RPO-style quarterback with plus accuracy underneath and the ability to hit the deep ball or make a play with his legs. The production throwing to a better supporting cast over his first two seasons is encouraging for his NFL outlook as a quality starter.

3 Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *