Getty Quarterback Sam Howell #7 of the North Carolina Tar Heels.
In their latest mock draft, The Draft Network has the Atlanta Falcons selecting quarterback Sam Howell out of North Carolina University in the first round.
In his 2022 NFL Mock Draft 2.0, @Jordan_Reid gave Atlanta their quarterback of the future with UNC QB Sam Howell 👀🚨👀
What do you think of Howell’s fit with the Falcons? 🤔👇
The Falcons won’t be parting ways with 14-year veteran quarterback Matt Ryan after this season due to a complicated contract, but they will need to think about the future sooner rather than later.
The Draft Network’s Jordan Reid briefly explained why Howell would make a good fit for the Falcons:
The Falcons have struggled during the early parts of the Fontenot-Smith regime, but the clear biggest need for the team is in the trenches. With a defensive line that’s struggling to generate pressure as well as an offensive front that hasn’t panned out, the easy selection is to go with a player up front. But does the team skip out on picking the heir apparent for Matt Ryan for the second year in a row? Taking a different route from last year, they elect to select Howell in hopes of building around him while sitting behind Ryan.
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Howell’s Scouting Report
The 6’1 1/4″ and 225 pounds gunslinger began receiving QB comparisons to Oklahoma’s and Cleveland Browns’ Baker Mayfield as early as his high school day. What he lacks, however, is the dual-threat ability that the NFL seems to be attracted to nowadays.
Pro Football Focus took a deep dive into Howell’s scouting report this offseason:
Although he won’t earn any Lamar Jackson comparisons as a dual-threat quarterback, Howell possesses decent athletic ability. He evades pressure in the pocket and uses his legs to extend plays. There were various examples last season of him utilizing his athleticism and toughness to find the end zone. Howell also showcases impressive ability to throw on the run, keeping his eyes downfield as he evades pressure.
From a passing perspective, Howell does an exceptional job of reading the defense pre-snap. This allows him to routinely get the ball out of his hands with incredible quickness. Howell generates amazing zip on short throws, firing the ball to his receivers with little effort. He can make all the throws and flashes outstanding accuracy on intermediate and long throws, putting his receivers in an ideal position to succeed.
The 21-year-old currently has 1,173 passing yards with 11 touchdowns to just 4 interceptions and a QB rating of 74.2. He has also added 259 yards and 3 touchdowns on the ground.
Matt Ryan’s Contract Ends In 2023
The Falcons restructured Ryan’s contract for the second time this past March. While rumors swirled that the Falcons would be trading Ryan, it would have never worked out.
Atlanta converted $23 million of his base salary into just $2 million in base salary and the rest as a bonus, so it will spread out over the next three seasons. This means Ryan’s contract won’t be up until after the 2021 season comes to an end.
Don’t be fooled by the Falcons’ overall record. At 36-years-old and working under a new offense, Ryan has thrown for 707 yards with four touchdowns and three interceptions so far this season. Not to mention he is working with a very young offensive line and a fresh set of weapons with star receiver Julio Jones no longer in the picture.
Atlanta originally selected Ryan in the first round (third overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft and have drafted just one other quarterback since then––Duke’s Sean Renfree in the seventh round of the 2013 draft.
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