QB, North Carolina
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 221 lbs
Class: Junior
Howell was a four-star recruit in the 2019 class, ranked as the No. 93 overall prospect and the No. 3 ranked dual threat quarterback. He received offers from 32 schools, including the likes of Alabama, Clemson, and Georgia. He initially committed to Florida State, before flipping to North Carolina after they hired Mack Brown to be their head coach.
Howell became the starter for the Tar Heels as a true freshman and was voted ACC Rookie of the Year. His production carried over into his sophomore and junior years and he enters the draft with school records in passing yards, passing touchdowns, and total touchdowns.
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Strengths
Howell possesses one of the strongest arms in this year’s quarterback class. He generates plenty of velocity at every level of the field and shows the ability to vary his touch to maximise his receivers’ opportunities. There were some really impressive tight window throws on his tape too, showing the ability to layer the football over defenders.
This all shows up most noticeably on deep passes. North Carolina’s offense includes a large amount of vertical passing concepts and Howell took advantage of his opportunities. He does an excellent job with his accuracy and placement downfield and 42 of his 94 career touchdown passes have come on passes of 20+ air yards. He also showed that he can make these throws on the run and does not need to set his feet to create plenty of zip.
Howell has also shown that he can be a threat as a runner. This had been an ancillary part of his game through his first two seasons but as a junior he racked up 1,106 yards and 11 rushing touchdowns. He ranked third amongst all quarterbacks in rushing yards, and his 8.1 yards per attempt ranked fourth. His ability to break tackles in the open field was also very impressive and his 65 forced missed tackles rank sixth amongst all draft-eligible prospects.
His toughness as a runner extends to the rest of his game too. He isn’t afraid to stand in the pocket and take a hit if it means getting a big throw off and he shows great play strength in the pocket to shrug off defenders and keep plays alive. His competitive toughness in high leverage situations also stands out and he has the confidence to step up in big moments.
Weaknesses
One of the main worries with Howell is his ability to get through his progressions as a passer. North Carolina’s offense incorporated a large amount of RPOs, rarely asking Howell to execute half- or full-field reads. When he was asked to do so he looked a little slow and was prone to some poor decision making. This won’t be enough to win at the NFL level and he has a long way to go before being able to run a pro-style offense.
The other concern will be his over-reliance on scrambling. Howell has a tendency to drop his head and run if his initial read isn’t open. An incredible 13% of his dropbacks in 2021 resulted in a scramble. Whilst this provided some big gains on the ground, it also led to some bad losses. His vision is inconsistent and he has a habit of trying to climb out of the pocket, only to run right into the arms of defenders. There will also be concerns about how his mobility translates to the next level. Howell is a solid athlete, but he isn’t quick enough to win consistently as a runner in the NFL.
Bottom Line
Howell offers an interesting set of tools. His arm strength is excellent and he has shown the ability to make every throw you want from a prospect. His tough running style and strength in the pocket will also be sought after. That said, his issues with processing and whether his playstyle can translate to the NFL are legitimate concerns. This could be a barrier to starting opportunities at the next level.
Ideal role: Developmental quarterback in a vertical passing attack
Round projection: 2nd round
