Interest In First-Round QBs Cooling?
With less than one week to go until this year’s draft, there are still plenty of questions regarding the top pick, as well as the quarterback class. The long-held belief has been that Malik Willis and Kenny Pickett are locks to go in the first round, but sentiment seems to be growing that the top signal-callers may have to wait longer than expected to hear their names called. 
As noted by ESPN’s Matt Miller, “the momentum that swung [Pickett and Willis] up the board seems to be swinging back the other way”. He adds that Pickett (who has long been connected to the Steelers) is, in the eyes of some, the only surefire first-round prospect. His highly productive fifth season at Pittsburgh earned him Heisman trophy consideration, and has generally made him the prospect seen as most NFL-ready.
For the others, Miller notes, interest has “quieted down” considerably. He posits that Pickett being the only Day 1 signal-caller wouldn’t come as a surprise. Willis in particular has been involved in speculation surrounding QB-needy teams, including the Panthers, holders of the sixth-overall pick. Miller himself reported recently that Desmond Ridder could also find himself in the top-20.
With respect to the Steelers, Miller states that the team appears to prefer Pickett far more than any other prospect at the position. Pittsburgh devoted a great deal of time to scouting the top QB options, so such a stance would be rather telling. If Pickett isn’t available at No. 20, Miller reports, offensive tackle would become a position of interest.
While the overall view of the class seems to fading, Miller’s colleague Jordan Reid notes that the No. 32 pick (currently owned by the Lions) could be the target of a trade-up to land a passer. He details that Sam Howell is the name “to keep an eye on”; a team looking to secure a fifth-year option on his rookie contract could move up to the end of the first round, thus adding to the total number of QBs taken there.
Overall, the waters appear to be as muddied as ever as they pertain to this year’s prospects at the game’s most important position.
NFL Draft Rumors: Howell, McDuffie, Texans, Eagles
Scouts aren’t wild about this year’s crop of quarterbacks, but North Carolina quarterback Sam Howell tells Albert Breer of SI that he’s not bothered by the negativity.
“We all hear it,” Howell said. “I don’t really take it personally. People are going to say what they believe, and that’s what they get paid to do. Whether they’re right or wrong, it doesn’t really matter. I can speak for myself, I truly could care less what anyone says about me. They try to judge all these draft guys before the draft every single year, and then they go in the league and they’re either going to play well or they’re not.”
“And they’re going to guess, and 50% of the time they’re going to be right, and 50% they’re probably going to be wrong.”
On that note, here’s the latest buzz from Breer as we head into the 2022 NFL Draft:
- Washington cornerback Trent McDuffie has impressed throughout the pre-draft process, Breer hears. From coach and scout meetings to his 4.4-second 40-yard-dash, McDuffie seems to have slotted himself as the No. 3 CB in this year’s crop, behind Cincinnati’s Sauce Gardner and LSU’s Derek Stingley Jr.
- Texans head coach Lovie Smith has been vocal about his desire to remain his cornerback group and the rest of the league is taking him at his word. Smith, known for running the Tampa 2 defense, may push his club to pounce on a top-end CB with at either No. 3 or No. 13 overall.
- The Eagles have prioritized wide receivers in each of the last two drafts, but rival scouts and evaluators aren’t ruling out the possibility of Howie Roseman going for three in a row. This year’s WR class is headlined by the likes of Ohio State’s Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave, Alabama’s Jameson Williams, Georgia’s George Pickens, and USC’s Drake London.
Panthers Holding Private Workout With Sam Howell, Ikem Ekwonu
The Panthers, like all other NFL teams, have already conducted most of their allotted ’30 visits’ with top draft prospects. They can still host meetings and workouts with local players, though, and they are doing just that. Carolina is getting together with quarterback Sam Howell for a second time today, and will do so tomorrow with offensive linemen Ikem Ekwonu (Twitter link via NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport). 
[RELATED: Latest On Panthers’ QB Plans]
The Panthers already hosted Howell as part of their wider pre-draft work on each of the top QBs in the class. The North Carolina product has also drawn interest from a number of other teams, leading many to believe he will be a first-round pick. The consensus among analysts with respect to quarterbacks, however, is that Malik Willis and Kenny Pickett will hear their names called before Howell’s; the same may also be true of Desmond Ridder.
The No. 6 selection, then, could more likely be used on Ekwonu. It was reported earlier this month that the Panthers were interested in both him and Charles Cross, two of the top offensive line prospects in this year’s class. The NC State alum, like Howell, counts as a local, rather than a ’30’ visit. The extended look at each player signals a high degree of interest, but the 131-pick gap between the Panthers’ first and second selections leaves a trade-down as a distinct possibility as well.
Rapoport adds that the team will also meet with Cross, which doesn’t come as a surprise. The Mississippi State product is likelier than Ekwonu to still be available, and would still fill the offensive tackle need the team has faced for years. How the team handles its QB situation, meanwhile, will directly affect Howell’s odds of winding up in Carolina.
Falcons Eyeing QBs With No. 8 Pick?
The post-Matt Ryan era has started in Atlanta, and while the organization may have inked Marcus Mariota to a deal, there’s a good chance the organization selects a quarterback in the upcoming draft. League sources expect the Falcons to select a signal-caller with the No. 8 pick in the NFL Draft, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports.
[RELATED: QB Matt Corral To Visit Five Teams]
Who would the Falcons ultimately select with that pick? Per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler (on Twitter), the Falcons are a potential landing spot for Liberty quarterback Malik Willis. The reporter notes that most scouts believe Willis is more of a project and won’t be ready to start during his rookie campaign, which would make him an ideal pairing with someone like Mariota.
Of course, with a handful of QB-needy teams ahead of them in the draft (including the Panthers at No. 6, who Fowler also mentions as a suitor for Willis), the Falcons front office can’t put all of their eggs in one basketball in pursuit of the Liberty QB. We heard recently that the team met with Ole Miss alum Matt Corral. North Carolina’s Sam Howell was the third QB to earn a top-3o visit with the Falcons.
After losing out on Deshaun Watson and trading away Ryan, the Falcons signed Mariota to a two-year contract. The former Titan and Raider is in line to start for the first time since 2019, but he would likely provide a short-term solution at the position at best. Mariota went 2-4 during his six-game stint as Tennessee’s starter in ’19, although he did toss seven touchdowns vs. only two interceptions.
Latest On Panthers QB Plans
While the NFL’s quarterback carousel is just about complete, we still don’t have clarity on the Panthers’ QB position. Heading into the offseason, GM Scott Fitterer admitted that the quarterback job was “open,” but after losing out in the Deshaun Watson sweepstakes, Fitterer walked back his remarks and stated that incumbent Sam Darnold was in the lead for the starting nod. Now, with the NFL Draft coming up at the end of the month, the organization still isn’t ruling out selecting a QB with the No. 6 pick.
[RELATED: Panthers Considering Trades For No. 6 Pick]
According to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, the “consensus of the people in this league” is that the Panthers will ultimately select a QB in the upcoming draft, with Malik Willis and Kenny Pickett considered the favorites. While Albert Breer of SI.com agrees with the QB sentiment, he hasn’t heard as much buzz about Pickett, and “with jobs on the line this year,” the organization may play it safe by taking the most NFL-ready option. Besides Willis, Breer also points to Matt Corral and Desmond Ridder as options. Sam Howell and Bailey Zappe were also included in the team’s 30 allotted prospect visits.
We learned recently that a trade down is a real possibility, and that could ultimately open the door to the Panthers selecting a quarterback with their first-round pick. The popular sentiment has been that No. 6 is too early to select from this year’s crop of quarterbacks. However, a trade for a mid-first would be “more palatable” for the front office.
While the Panthers could look to a first-round QB, Darnold still believes he’s ready to compete for the starting gig. Following an inconsistent start to his career with the Jets, Darnold underwhelmed during his first season with the Panthers, guiding the team to a 4-7 record while tossing nine touchdowns vs. 13 interceptions.
“It’s truly whatever happens happens, because at the end of the day it’s out of my control, and I know that,” Darnold,said during a recent podcast appearance (via ESPN’s David Newton). “I have enough security in myself where I can say, ‘I know I’m a good quarterback. I know I can be a good quarterback in this league. I’ve proved it.’
“And I know there’s a team, if something happens, that would want me.”
Meanwhile, following whispers that the Panthers could be the most likely landing spot for Browns QB Baker Mayfield, Panthers receiver Robby Anderson made it pretty clear what his feelings were on the rumors. On Instagram, Anderson commented “Nooooo” under a picture connecting Mayfield to Carolina (h/t Brad Stainbrook of CBS Sports on Twitter).
Giants Looking Into QB Sam Howell
The Giants are prepared to give Daniel Jones another season to show he can be the team’s long-term starter, but the regime that drafted Jones is out, leaving the former No. 6 overall pick’s future with the franchise in question.
GM Joe Schoen signed Tyrod Taylor, who was with the Bills during Schoen’s first year in Buffalo, to back up Jones. Taylor’s deal runs through 2023. The Giants have not decided on Jones’ 2023 option. The team will almost certainly not take a quarterback with its No. 5 overall pick, but its second-round selection (No. 36) could be a spot where the position is considered.
Sam Howell has popped up on the Giants’ radar. The North Carolina quarterback drew a sizable Giants contingent at his pro day, including new Big Blue QBs coach Shea Tierney, and SNY’s Ralph Vacchiano notes the team visited with the ex-Tar Heel passer over the weekend. While this is the NFL calendar’s prime smokescreen period, the Giants make sense as an interested team.
Once firmly on the first-round radar, Howell slipped a bit after a junior season with a new-look Tar Heels cast. Exoduses of Javonte Williams, Michael Carter, Dazz Newsome and Dyami Brown undoubtedly impacted Howell, whom ESPN ranks 50th among this year’s prospects. Still, a few teams are monitoring the 6-foot-2 QB. The Commanders and Saints were sent several staffers to Howell’s pro day, while the Steelers met with him just ahead of his Giants meeting. The Panthers are also meeting with the in-state prospect this week.
Second-round QBs are obviously riskier propositions, though a Howell pick now probably would not dissuade Schoen and Co. from investing a first-rounder on another passer in 2023 or ’24 — should Jones not show enough this season. The Giants hold one second-round pick but could acquire additional Day 2 capital by trading one of their top-10 choices for a sizable haul.
Steelers Hosting Desmond Ridder
As the Steelers’ work on this year’s quarterback draft class continues, the team is turning its attention to Cincinnati alum Desmond Ridder. Pittsburgh is hosting him for one of their top-30 visits today, as noted by Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer (Twitter link). 
[RELATED: Steelers Heavily Scouting QB Prospects]
This marks the beginning of a busy stretch for Ridder; he is scheduled to meet with the Panthers and Seahawks next week, as first reported by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). Pittsburgh has long been touted as one of the teams most in need of a new franchise signal-caller, despite the signing of Mitch Trubisky. The team had a large presence at Ridder’s (and every other top QB’s) pro day.
The redshirt senior took Cincinnati to unprecedented heights during his time there. He helped the Bearcats become the first Group of 5 school to appear in the College Football Playoff, ultimately losing in the national semifinal. His career record of 44-6 ranks first in program history, and places him among the winningest college QBs of all time. He threw 87 touchdowns in four seasons, completing 62.1% of his passes.
Ridder has generally been ranked at least one tier below Malik Willis and Kenny Pickett in the build-up to this month’s draft. His stock may be on the rise, however, as ESPN’s Matt Miller tweets that Ridder has a chance to be a top-20 pick. Depending on how the rest of the board falls, that could place him directly into Pittsburgh’s range, since the Steelers hold the 20th selection.
Ridder isn’t the only QB Pittsburgh is meting with, not surprisingly. Rapoport adds (on Twitter) that UNC’s Sam Howell will visit on Friday. The latter is seen as a similarly-ranked prospect, and seems to have drawn attention from the Commanders and Saints among other teams. Whether the Steelers end up selecting either option or not, they will clearly have done their due diligence on the position.
Panthers To Meet With Kenny Pickett, Four Other Quarterbacks
The Panthers will use next week to gather intel on the top quarterbacks from this draft class. In addition to their Malik Willis meeting, the Panthers will visit with Kenny Pickett and use four of their other top-30 prospect visits on QBs.
Pickett will join Matt Corral (Ole Miss), Sam Howell (North Carolina), Desmond Ridder (Cincinnati) and Bailey Zappe (Western Kentucky) on “30” visits, Albert Breer of SI.com tweets. These meetings will take place between Monday and Wednesday of next week in Charlotte.
Missing out on Deshaun Watson, Carolina has veteran options still. But the team has not expressed interest in Jimmy Garoppolo and is not believed to want Baker Mayfield. The team’s interest for a veteran could change, but Sam Darnold is under contract on an $18.9MM fifth-year option. An additional veteran would create an expensive QB room, and second-year GM Scott Fitterer discussed the benefits of having a rookie-deal quarterback on the payroll recently.
While Pickett — a former Matt Rhule Temple recruit who decommitted after Rhule’s Baylor departure — would require Carolina’s first-round pick, the rest of this crop is not on the top-10 radar. But the Panthers traded away their second- and third-round picks last year — in deals for Darnold and C.J. Henderson. This limits the team’s options, barring a trade-down effort in Round 1. As for the prospect of Pickett at No. 6, the Panthers were linked to the Pittsburgh passer after the Senior Bowl.
Scouts Inc. ranks Corral and Ridder as the Nos. 34 and 36 overall prospects, respectively, while slotting Howell 50th. Zappe, who played in a pass-crazed system in his only Division I season and broke Joe Burrow‘s touchdown pass record by compiling 62 for the Hilltoppers, profiles as a Day 3 prospect, ranking 139th.
Commanders, Saints Had Large Presence At Sam Howell’s Pro Day
While Malik Willis and Kenny Pickett have garnered most of the attention in terms of top quarterback prospects, North Carolina’s Sam Howell remains a highly-touted option as well. Two of the teams who sent large delegations to see him at his recent pro day were the Commanders and Saints, per Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network (Twitter link).
[RELATED: Steelers Heavily Scouting QB Prospects]
Pauline notes that the “big turnout” from Washington included executive VP Marty Hurney and several other staffers. The Commanders already have their starting signal-caller in Carson Wentz, whom they traded for days before the start of free agency. The price they paid – both in terms of the draft capital sent to Indianapolis and the fact that they picked up his full salary – signalled a strong commitment to the former No. 2 pick, who is under contract for three more years.
The Saints, meanwhile, had college scouting director Jeff Ireland on hand to see the former Tar Heel in person. After being in the competition for Deshaun Watson, New Orleans re-signed Jameis Winston on a two-year deal. Not long after, they also added a veteran backup in Andy Dalton.
Howell, a true junior, burst onto the scene with 38 touchdown passes in his freshman year. He improved in terms of completion percentage (68.1%) and yards per attempt (11.1) in the following campaign, but took a step back in production in 2021. Following the departure of receivers Dyami Brown and Dazz Newsome, along with the team’s dynamic RB duo of Javonte Williams and Michael Carter, Howell had a down year statistically.
As a result, many have dropped the six-foot-one, 220-pounder down a tier or so in this year’s QB rankings. Howell is generally rated closer to the likes of Matt Corral and Desmond Ridder than the aforementioned Willis and Pickett. Still, it wouldn’t come as a surprise for him to be selected at some point in the first round. That could leave the Commanders and Saints (who hold the 11th and 18th picks, respectively) in play for Howell, depending on what they saw of him last week.
QB Sam Howell Declares For Draft
The 2022 quarterback class has long been viewed as a downgrade from recent years, but positional need will see teams jockey over certain prospects. Sam Howell may be one of those, and the North Carolina QB confirmed he will be part of the April prospect pool.
Howell said Saturday he will forgo his senior season and enter the 2022 draft (Twitter link). Unlike several top prospects who declared for the draft early, Howell did play in his team’s bowl game. The Tar Heels lost the Duke’s Mayo Bowl to South Carolina on Thursday.
While Howell will be one of the top passers available in April, his stock has dipped a bit after the Tar Heels’ 6-7 season. Going into his junior season, Howell checked in as a top-10 prospect and the No. 1 quarterback available in the upcoming class, per The Athletic’s Dane Brugler. In December, Brugler dropped Howell to this draft’s third-best QB. Howell sits fifth among QBs on Mel Kiper Jr.’s latest rankings — behind Kenny Pickett (Pitt), Desmond Ridder (Cincinnati), Matt Corral (Ole Miss) and Malik Willis (Liberty). ESPN’s Todd McShay has Howell going late in the first round. Pre-draft visits and workouts figure to be critical for the 6-foot-1 prospect.
Howell jumped onto draft radars after throwing 38 touchdown passes as a freshman in 2019. He averaged 10.3 yards per attempt as a sophomore but threw a career-low 24 TD passes this season and averaged 8.8 yards per attempt. The Tar Heels did lose some NFL talent this year, seeing its 1,000-1,000 backfield (Javonte Williams, Michael Carter) and receiver draftees Dyami Brown and Dazz Newsome depart.