5 lively outsiders the Carolina Panthers could draft in 2022

Carolina Panthers could draft Sam Howell

• Quarterback | North Carolina

Could the home-state hero end up playing his professional football in an area where he starred in college in North Carolina?

Don’t rule it out.

The Carolina Panthers have taken a keen interest in Sam Howell during the evaluation process. They’ve met twice privately with the signal-caller, who also participated in a throwing session with coaches under the watchful eye of influential figures within the organization on Monday, according to multiple reports.

Based on his 2020 production, Howell is head and shoulders the best quarterback in this year’s class. Most of his top weapons bolting for the NFL wasn’t ideal, but the player evolved his game – putting the team before himself – to ensure the Tarheels were in a primary position to succeed.

This didn’t do his draft stock any favors. But there is now a growing belief that Howell will still be taken late in the first round or early in Round No. 2, at the very latest.

Howell has an exceptional deep ball, is agile enough to keep plays alive, and thrives in the big moments. He is a little undersized for the position and needs to put more juice on the football when distributing to the sidelines – but there could be a productive signal-caller in there somewhere with additional coaching.

Selecting Howell at No. 6 overall is out of the question. However, it’s entirely possible with a trade down or up depending on the situation.