NFL Rumors: Sam Howell Expected to Have 'Strong Market' on Day 2 of 2022 NFL Draft

Should he remain on the board after the first round of the 2022 NFL draft, Sam Howell may not have to wait much longer to hear his name called.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported the North Carolina quarterback "should have a strong market on Day 2." Fowler posited the Seattle Seahawks, who have the No. 40 and 41 picks, could be a landing spot.

Howell is the No. 90 overall player and the fifth-best player on Bleacher Report's final big board. He might nonetheless sneak into the late stages of the first round thanks in part to a weak QB class.

ESPN's Jordan Reid reported on April 22 that a team could trade up into the No. 32 spot in order to select a quarterback. Howell was cited as a possible target in that scenario, with Reid writing the NFL at large is "a bit higher on Howell than the media."

The Tar Heels star had a disappointing 2021 season as he and his team failed to meet expectations. He threw for 3,056 yards, 24 touchdowns and nine interceptions and ran for 828 yards and 11 scores.

B/R NFL scout Nate Tice only gave Howell a third-round grade but compared him to Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts:

"Overall, Howell has the arm strength, athleticism and enough accuracy to make it in the NFL. But he will need a good deal of development and polish on his footwork, pocket awareness and movement, understanding of dropback concepts, and overall mechanics to become a viable NFL starting quarterback."

The second round is too early for teams to take a big swing on a player who has little chance of panning out, but Howell showed enough to warrant some level of confidence in his abilities.

While there's an obvious level of risk, his mobility in particular is something that could help him flourish with the right coaching staff.

The Seahawks have a clear need for a quarterback following the Russell Wilson trade. Geno Smith isn't a viable starting solution, and Drew Lock couldn't beat out Teddy Bridgewater for the Denver Broncos' starting gig last year.

From the perspective of the team potentially selecting Howell, the only concern with Seattle is that the state of its QB room could see him thrust to the top of the depth chart before he's ready.