Commanders QB Sam Howell: Best Late-Round Rookie?

The Washington Commanders fifth-round pick from the 2022 NFL Draft is generating hype through training camp.

There was a point just a year or two ago when Washington Commanders rookie Sam Howell, then a quarterback for the North Carolina Tar Heels, was looked at as a potential No. 1 pick.

Howell, who ended up being drafted by the Commanders in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, has been making strides towards his former glory throughout training camp.

In a recent ranking of the best Day 3 rookies for the 2022 NFL season, Pro Football Focus ranked Howell as the third-most anticipated player to watch.

"Early reports out of Commanders camp have not been kind to newly acquired quarterback Carson Wentz. While Howell looks unlikely to unseat Wentz in Year 1, Howell could still beat out Taylor Heinicke for the QB2 job. And if the reports are to be believed, he looks to be doing just that.

Howell has NFL-caliber arm talent and mobility, but the questions about how the offense he played in at North Carolina would translate to the league caused him to fall to the fifth round. If he’s already picking up the Commanders' offense, that’s a great sign for the future."

Though he was only a fifth-round pick, there was instant hype surrounding Howell as a potential franchise quarterback-level option down the line.

In college, he boasted a powerful arm with complementary athleticism and mobility. Though his biggest question marks were with accuracy and mechanics, he consistently showed the ability to be an electric playmaker through both the ground and air. In addition, he was able to work through progressions fairly quickly -- a rare trait for a quarterback with his level of athleticism.

With him continuing to impress throughout training camp, Howell has quickly made himself known to the league as a genuine prospective franchise quarterback for a team that, for years, has been desperate for one.