Sam Howell, North Carolina Football News: Draft Scout Player News

07/25/21 - QB Sam Howell, Jr/2022, North Carolina

Good luck getting a rise out of North Carolina quarterback Sam Howell. The likelihood of it being his final season in Chapel Hill before being drafted in the NFL doesn't do it for him. He's never publicly declared he won't return for a senior season. Potentially making a six-figure salary this year thanks to the passage of college athletes being able to profit from their name, image and likeness doesn't quicken his pulse either. He siphoned that off to a marketing firm to handle for him with an emphasis on opportunities for the entire team to make money. Howell barely raises an eyebrow despite having his name thrown around in Heisman Trophy conversations. Part of the reason UNC isn't conducting a huge campaign for him is because Howell isn't interested in them doing so. "There are a lot of distractions, so what I've been trying to do is make sure I have people in place around me to kind of limit those distractions so when the season starts I can focus 100 percent on my team," Howell said at Wednesday's ACC Kickoff. "… I just want as much weight lifted off my shoulders as possible so I can really focus on football."

Those outside things almost seem boring to Howell, who spoke in such a low tone during his time on a dais it caused reporters to sometimes cut off his answers because they thought he was finished speaking. The one change UNC coach Mack Brown has noticed? Howell's body language when he's asked to give up some reps to the backup quarterbacks. "He's disappointed when we take him out," Brown said. "He's so competitive he wants to stay in there, but I told him, 'You're leaving, we've got to get a quarterback ready." - Raleigh News Observer

Jr/2022