Former North Carolina quarterback Sam Howell is getting his first chance to be the starter in just his second year with the Washington Commanders.
After starting just one game last year and leading the Commanders to a win over the Dallas Cowboys, Howell enters the offseason as the starter. While the Commanders brought in Jacoby Brissett to compete, it will be Howell’s job to lose.
But where does Howell rank among all starting quarterbacks?
Pro Football Focus ranked every starting quarterback in the NFL here in May and Howell checked in at No. 27 overall:
Another almost total gamble, Howell was given one game late last season to audition for the starting job and performed well in it. He completed 11 of 19 passes for 168 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 35 yards and another score. Howell was seen as a legitimate prospect before sliding all the way to the fifth round of the 2022 draft, but expecting anything above this would be wildly optimistic.
The ranking is pretty fair for Howell who is going into his first full year as a starter. A big season will help him get higher in the rankings next year.
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