University of North Carolina quarterback Sam Howell better excel at two sports if he hopes to be drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles had a strange request for Howell during an interview at the combine, and it had nothing to do with football.
The team reportedly asked Howell to shoot a basketball into a mini hoop. Howell revealed that tidbit Wednesday, joking that he’s probably off the team’s draft board after going 2-for-5.
Howell did not provide details on the basketball and hoop, but we assume it was the type you hung on your door when you were a kid … or whenever. Getting joy out of a mini hoop is an ageless thing.
The Eagles likely had a reason for asking Howell to shoot hoops. Perhaps the team was trying to gauge Howell’s overall athleticism? Maybe the team was trying to judge Howell’s accuracy when throwing something other than a football? It’s also possible the team asked Howell to shoot a basketball to make him uncomfortable and throw him off his interview…