The 2025 NFL Draft has come and gone, and former North Carolina stars have been in and around the activity all weekend.
To lead the way, Omarion Hampton was selected No. 22 overall by the Los Angeles Chargers. He was the first Tar Heel off the board and the second running back overall. On Saturday afternoon, another former UNC standout found a new home—this time, via a trade.
Sam Howell was traded to the Minnesota Vikings amidst a third round pick swap. The Seattle Seahawks, Howell’s former home, gave up pick No. 172 and Howell in exchange for pick No. 142.
Minnesota will be the third home for the 24-year-old. After being selected in 2022 to Washington with pick No. 144, Howell played only one game in his rookie season. In 2023, Howell received the starting job for Washington, throwing for 3,946 yards, 21 touchdowns, and 21 interceptions. The Commanders went 4-13 in that season, and even though a poor offensive line plagued Howell and the offenses success, they dealt him to Seattle in a similar pick swap situation last March. Last season with the Seahawks, Howell attempted only 14 passes in three games.
Now, he will head to the NFC North under head coach Kevin O’Connell. The Vikings currently field a quarterback room of JJ McCarthy and Brett Rypien. The expectation is that McCarthy, the No. 10 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, will take over the starting job in the fall.
Howell, who arguably still has a strong upside to his profile, will likely be the QB2. The Vikings have gained a reputation for revamping quarterback careers, as they did with Sam Darnold last season. Potentially, Minnesota could allow Howell to stabilize and develop into a reliable backup and future starter.
Best of luck, Sam!