Where Might Sam Howell Go in the NFL Draft?

The 2022 NFL Draft starts tonight, and it will officially mark the beginning of former UNC quarterback Sam Howell’s professional career. Projections for Howell vary between the late first round and the second round of the draft, to a variety of different teams.

Here are some possible landing spots for Howell:

Detroit Lions

While the Lions likely won’t select a quarterback with their No. 2 overall pick, the choice at No. 32, the last in the first round, seems a logical spot to select the next signal-caller in the Motor City. Ironically, the Lions only have that pick because of their trade with the Los Angeles Rams to acquire former top pick Jared Goff last year. Goff hasn’t turned out to be the franchise-altering pick he was advertised to be, and the Lions clearly need to go in a different direction at quarterback. Second-year head coach Dan Campbell has his team playing with passion, and a fresh face under center is just what the franchise needs to get out of the basement in the NFC North.

Houston Texans

The Texans are in an interesting spot, having selected former Stanford quarterback Davis Mills in the third round last year. Mills performed better than expected for the Texans, completing almost 67 percent of his passes on a team lacking in offensive weapons. The Texans’ draft day decisions will depend on whether the team believes Mills is the long-term answer at quarterback. Like Detroit, Houston has two first-round selections, having acquired Cleveland’s pick in the Deshaun Watson trade. With Watson now firmly out of the picture, the Texans could decide to go all-in on Mills and forgo selecting a quarterback at all.

Carolina Panthers

Image via Associated Press/Jacob Kupferman

The Panthers would surely see an uptick in ticket sales if they selected hometown hero Sam Howell (from just down the road in Indian Trail, N.C.), though it’s unlikely Carolina will take him with their sixth overall pick. Still, the need is there: the Panthers’ quarterback duo of Sam Darnold and P.J. Walker is probably the most uninspiring in the league. There’s talent everywhere else, with a top-tier running back in Christian McCaffrey and a solid wide receiver in D.J. Moore. Paired with a strong defense, Carolina has the infrastructure in place to support a young quarterback.

Atlanta Falcons

Image via Associated Press/Danny Karnik

After trading Matt Ryan to Indianapolis and missing out on Deshaun Watson, the Falcons could certainly use some young blood in the quarterback room. As of Thursday, their depth chart consists of former No. 2 overall pick Marcus Mariota and Feleipe Franks. Mariota hasn’t started a game since 2019, while Franks has never started a game. Needless to say, Atlanta will be shopping for quarterbacks over the weekend. Last year’s first-round pick Kyle Pitts provides a potentially elite pass-catching option at tight end, but the rest of the offense leaves a little to be desired.

Seattle Seahawks

Like Atlanta, Seattle got rid of a franchise icon this offseason, dealing longtime quarterback Russell Wilson to the Broncos. That deal gave the Seahawks Denver’s first-round selection at No. 9, and while it’s unlikely Howell goes that high, Seattle will have a new quarterback before the draft is done. The Seahawks are one of the best possible landing spots for a young quarterback, boasting one of the top receiver duos in the league in Tyler Lockett and D.K. Metcalf. Should Howell find himself in the Pacific Northwest, he wouldn’t lack for weapons.

Washington Commanders

Challenging the Panthers for ‘Most Uninspiring QB Room’ are the Commanders, who confused fans across the league by acquiring Carson Wentz in a trade with Indianapolis. Wentz, a former No. 2 overall pick, has yet to regain the MVP candidate form he had with the Eagles, and fell out of favor quickly with the Colts in his one year in Indy. Taylor Heinicke is currently the second quarterback on the roster, and while he’s shown flashes of skill under center, he’s clearly not the long-term answer in DC. Should Howell end up with the Commanders, he’d be reunited with former UNC wide receiver Dyami Brown, who caught 20 touchdowns during two seasons with Howell.

Philadelphia Eagles

Jalen Hurts led the Eagles to the playoffs last season, but it’s anyone’s guess whether Philadelphia sees Hurts as the franchise quarterback. Some advantages of landing in Philly? A relatively weak division, along with very good options at wide receiver (former Heisman winner DeVonta Smith and new trade acquisition A.J. Brown) and running back (Miles Sanders). Disadvantages include a relatively untested head coach and a brutally short-tempered fanbase, one which could see Hurts out the door sooner than expected.

New Orleans Saints

Image via New Orleans Saints/Michael C. Hebert

It’s an offseason of transitions for the Saints, who are now living in the post-Sean Payton era after the Super Bowl-winning head coach announced his retirement. New Orleans’ quarterback situation could be best described as fluid, with last year’s Week 1 starter Jameis Winston recovering from an ACL injury, new signee Andy Dalton seeming to be a stopgap option, and third-stringer Ian Book clearly not the long-term answer. And there’s still perennial Payton favorite Taysom Hill as an emergency option. It might be a case of too many cooks in the Big Easy kitchen, which could steer the Saints away from selecting a quarterback this year. Still, the possibility remains, if only because of the uncertainty at the position.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Due to the retirement of future Hall of Famer Ben Roethlisberger and the tragic offseason death of Dwayne Haskins, the Steelers suddenly find themselves in desperate need of a quarterback. It’s quite the desirable landing spot for a rookie, with one of the best coaches in the league in Mike Tomlin as well as solid options at receiver (Diontae Johnson) and running back (Najee Harris). The Steelers could very well select hometown hero Kenny Pickett out of Pitt, but Howell remains a possibility. If he is picked by the Steelers, Pittsburgh would take on a distinct light blue hue, as Howell would join former UNC quarterback Mitch Trubisky on the depth chart.

Tennessee Titans

The Titans were the top seed in the AFC last season, yet still would be well-served assessing their options at quarterback. Several mistakes from Ryan Tannehill cost the Titans their season in the playoffs against Cincinnati, and with Tannehill turning 34 this July, an infusion of youth under center could be just what Tennessee needs to reach the promised land. The Titans have all the talent in the world on offense: star running back Derrick Henry is just a year removed from rushing for 2,000 yards, while first-round pick Treylon Burks and new signee Robert Woods could be a formidable pass-catching duo. If Howell goes to Nashville, he could even sit for a year or two behind Tannehill before fully taking the reins of the offense.

Featured image via Associated Press/Gerry Broome

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