Sam Howell’s Combine comments prove Eagles have no idea how to evaluate a QB

UNC quarterback Sam Howell shared the strange method the Philadelphia Eagles used to measure his throw accuracy: by having him play another sport. 

Over the years, collegiate players looking for their place in the NFL have shared bizarre elements of their Combine recruiting experience. From asking off-topic questions to having DK Metcalf remove his shirt for an interview with the Seahawks, teams often have unconventional ways of understanding a player’s character and mindset before making the decision to draft.

UNC quarterback Sam Howell told media that while he has yet to field any strange questions from NFL teams during the Combine, he did have to undergo one unexpected exercise. Howell said that the Philadelphia Eagles had him shoot basketballs through a mini hoop.

“I only made like 2 of 5, so I’m probably not high on their board right now,” Howell joked.

Philadelphia Eagles use mini basketball to assess QB Sam Howell

Why the Eagles asked Howell—and perhaps other prospective quarterbacks—to complete this exercise could have more to do with behavioral observation than a test of accuracy. The Eagles could have been trying to see how Howell acts in an unexpected and unfamiliar situation, using the mini hoop game to gauge his adaptability. Or, the Eagles could have been seeing how his concentration was affect by the unpredictable ask. Or, perhaps the most straightforward assumption is the correct one, and the Eagles were actually trying to determine if Howell is a competent all-around athlete.

What the mini hoop game reveals is that as much as 40-yard dash times and 3-cone drills are lauded, the NFL Combine is a psychological maze for young prospects. While the physical stats do influence when players come off the board, the interviews and impressions draftees make with individual teams can determine where they end up. After all, Metcalf stumbled during the 3-cone drill, but Seattle got the steal of the 2019 Draft based on his interview (and his abs).