The Washington Commanders entered the 2023 NFL offseason intent on making Sam Howell their starting quarterback. While Washington also signed veteran signal-caller Jacoby Brissett to a one-year deal, the club was adamant that Howell would be given every chance to solidify himself as the Commanders’ QB1.When did Washington select Howell, and why did he slip so far in the draft?From the current NFL standings to team depth charts to coverage of every game in the 18-week NFL schedule, we have all the news from around the league to keep you up to speed!PFN Mock Draft Simulator – DesktopWhen Was Sam Howell Drafted?Howell, the second-ranked recruit in the state of North Carolina in 2018, originally committed to Florida State but changed his mind after Seminoles offensive coordinator Walt Bell departed to become the head coach at UMass.Howell decided to stay local, enrolling at the University of North Carolina in 2019 under first-year head coach Mack Brown.After winning the ACC’s Rookie of the Year award during his freshman season, Howell looked even better in 2020. He was named second-team All-ACC after passing for 3,586 yards, 30 touchdowns, and seven interceptions.Viewed as a Heisman Trophy contender and a potential No. 1 overall pick heading into the 2021 campaign, Howell lost significant talent around him on the Tar Heels’ roster. His top two running backs (Javonte Williams and Michael Carter) and top two wide receivers (Dyami Brown and Dazz Newsome) departed for the NFL.As such, Howell’s yards-per-attempt average dropped by 1.5 yards. He was asked to create more plays on the ground and ended up rushing for 828 yards and 11 touchdowns, displaying a skill set he hadn’t deployed in previous seasons.Howell declared for the 2022 NFL Draft and garnered plenty of interest from around the league, taking meetings and pre-draft visits with multiple clubs.But when draft day came, Howell didn’t hear his name called until the fifth round, when the Commanders selected him with the 144th overall pick.He was the sixth quarterback chosen in 2022, behind Kenny Pickett (Pittsburgh Steelers), Desmond Ridder (Atlanta Falcons), Malik Willis (Tennessee Titans), Matt Corral (Carolina Panthers), and Bailey Zappe (New England Patriots).MORE: Did Ron Rivera Play in the NFL?After sitting behind Carson Wentz and Taylor Heinicke for most of his rookie season, Howell started Washington’s 2022 regular-season finale against the Dallas Cowboys, completing 11 of 19 attempts for 169 yards, one touchdown, and one interception while adding five rushing attempts for 35 yards.Howell held off Brissett during training camp and the preseason and has started all four of the Commanders’ 2023 games. He helped lead Washington to a 2-2 record, but he’s 19th in QBR, 20th in EPA in the playoffs and has more sacks (24) than any quarterback in the NFL.Listen to a PFN Inside podcast Access!Listen to the PFN Inside Access podcast! Click the embedded player below to listen to or find the PFN Fantasy Podcast on iTunes, Spotify and all major podcast platforms. Be sure to subscribe and leave us a 5-star review!ShareFacebookTwitterReddItFlipRelated StoriesGiants 2024 Free Agents: Saquon Barkley Isn’t Just a Star MarketPodcast: Which Defensive Free Agents Could the Cincinnati Bengals Target in 2024 ?Buccaneers 2024 Free Agents : Baker Mayfield, Mike Evans FinancingBart Scott Says Giants Treat Saquon Barkley ‘Like a Mate.’ , eagles.