Cashius Howell has been one of the most productive pass rushers in college football this season, and his scouting report evaluates why Howell is such a productive player and how well his skill set might translate to the NFL.

Cashius Howell Scouting Report
Measurables:

Height- 6’2″

Weight- 248 lbs

Background:

Howell attended Rockhurst High School in Kansas City, MO., where he was a three-star recruit in the class of 2021. He committed to Bowling Green, where he spent the first three years of his college career. In 2023, Howell led the MAC with 9.5 sacks, helping Bowling Green to their first winning season since 2015. After a breakout 2023 season, Howell entered the transfer portal and committed to Texas A&M. In his first season with the Aggies, Howell played in all 13 games and finished the season with four sacks, 8.5 tackles for loss, and seven pass deflections. In 2025, Howell has emerged as one of the best defensive players in the country. He is currently the team leader in both sacks and tackles for loss on a Texas A&M team that has started the season with an 8-0 record.

Strengths:

Howell is an explosive athlete with tremendous bend around the edge. He has strong and active hands and plays the game with a non-stop motor. Howell is also one of the most refined pass rushers in college football right now. He effectively uses a number of different moves to get to the quarterback, including an incredible spin move and ghost move. He has been able to turn his athletic ability and advanced pass rush skills into great production three seasons in a row now. While he has had very good numbers the previous two seasons, he has taken his production to another level in the 2025 season.

Through the first nine weeks of the season, Howell ranks third in the entire country in sacks with 9.5 sacks. Outside of rushing the passer, Howell also has the ability to drop into coverage, and he does a good job making plays on the ball with seven pass deflections in 2024, and three so far in the 2025 season. He is a decent run defender as well.

Related: 2026 NFL Mock Drafts

Weaknesses:

The biggest concern for Howell is that he is an undersized pass rusher who lacks ideal arm length for the position. With his lack of size and arm length, Howell can struggle at times to disengage from blocks. He also needs to continue to improve his play strength against the run.

NFL Projection:

Howell has the athletic ability and pass-rush skills to succeed in the NFL. He is more advanced as a pass rusher than most edge defenders coming out of college, and he is having one of the most productive seasons of any player in college football while playing in the SEC. The arm length is a concern. However, Howell still has the talent to potentially go in the first round of the NFL Draft. He is currently projected to be a first or early second-round pick in the draft. In the NFL, with his athleticism, bend, motor, and pass-rush ability, Howell has the talent to develop into a high-level starting edge rusher at the next level.

Main Photo Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images