Sam Howell's NFL draft stock could be rising at the right time.
ESPN's Jordan Reid reported NFL personnel are "a bit higher on Howell than the media." He highlighted the North Carolina star as a possible target for a team at the end of the first round:
"I've been repeatedly told to pay close attention to the Lions with the No. 32 pick next week. That spot has been circled as a trade-up spot for teams looking to take a swing on a quarterback who falls to the back end of the first round. Similar to what we saw with Teddy Bridgewater in 2014 and Lamar Jackson in 2018, a team could look to trade up in order to secure the fifth-year option with a quarterback.