Outside of Pitt’s Kenny Pickett, who went to the Steelers with the 20th overall pick, the 2022 NFL draft turned into one of those exceedingly rare exercises in which quarterbacks were not overcooked as draft prospects due to the overall value of the position.
Desmond Ridder went to the Falcons in the third round, with the 74th overall pick. Malik Willis went to the Titans in the third round, with the 86th overall pick. Ole Miss’ Matt Corral went to the Panthers in the third round, with the 94th overall pick.
And North Carolina’s Sam Howell was taken by the Washington Commanders in the fifth round, with the 144th overall pick.
That last quarterback? Perhaps the biggest surprise. Had Howell been available for the draft in 2021, after he completed 68.1% of his passes and averaged 10.3 yards per attempt, throwing 30 touchdowns to seven interceptions, things could have been very different — especially after a 2019 season in which Howell completed 61.4% of his passes for 8.6 yards per attempt, 38 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. At that point, Howell looked for all the world like the next great NFL prospect.
Then, before the 2021 season, Howell lost his two best running backs (Javonte Williams, Michael Carter) and his two best receivers (Dyami Brown, Dazz Newsome) to the NFL, and he was left in the eye of the hurricane. Howell responded by completing 62.5% of his passes for 8.8 yards per attempt, 24 touchdowns, and nine interceptions.
It looks like a fall from Howell’s previous efficiency and production until you look at what Howell had to work with, and how he responded with more stuff in his skill set. Howell ran for a total of 181 yards and six touchdowns in his first two collegiate seasons; he upped that to 828 rushing yards and 11 rushing touchdowns on 183 carries.
“Yeah, it was a little different,” Howell said about the switch from the personnel he knew, to the personnel he didn’t — not at the same level, at least.. “Obviously, same…
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