Sam Howell is finally league-bound.

After enduring a longer-than-expected wait, the former Carolina quarterback was selected with the No. 144 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft by the Washington Commanders.

With the Commanders, Howell will be reunited with former Carolina wide receiver Dyami Brown, who was selected No. 82 overall in the 2021 draft. Howell and Brown hooked up for 20 total touchdowns during their two seasons together in Chapel Hill.

In three years with the Tar Heels, Howell started 37 of a possible 38 games and set UNC records for passing yards (10,283), passing touchdowns (92) and total offense (11,292 yards). He threw a touchdown in every game he played as a Tar Heel.

Howell also had a career year on the ground during 2021, rushing for 828 yards and 11 touchdowns. He only had 181 yards and six touchdowns on the ground in his previous two seasons combined. During his sophomore season, Howell led Carolina to its first Orange Bowl appearance in program history. Even though UNC lost to No. 5 Texas A&M in the game, Howell showed out on the national stage, completing 18 of 31 passes for 234 yards and three touchdowns.

Howell’s best career game came during the 2020 season against Wake Forest. Howell accounted for a school-record seven total touchdowns in UNC’s 59-53 win over the Demon Deacons, in which the team rallied from a 21-point deficit in the third quarter. Howell threw for 550 yards and six touchdowns, both personal bests, and rushed for another score late in the fourth quarter.

Howell will become the second UNC quarterback in the NFL, joining the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Mitch Trubisky.

 

Featured image via USA Today Sports

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