Florida State QB recruit Sam Howell looks good at Elite 11

Sam Howell had another good day on Saturday. During the simulated “pro day” workout, he showed off a good arm.

Contestants are given three points for a great throw, two for a good throw, one for a catchable throw, and zero for a bad throw. The top seven contestants had 39, 39, 38, 38, 37, 36, and 35 points.

A source told me that Howell had “31 or 32,” and was “not one of the guys in the 20s.” That likely puts him in the top half, for whatever it’s worth. Some video of Howell from the Twitter.com/Tomahawknation account can be found below.

I stand by my opinion that there are five or six QBs from last year’s event who are head and shoulders above even the best QB this year.

6/1

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — I’m out here at the Elite 11 QB competition for SB Nation. So is FSU QB commit Sam Howell, of Monroe (NC) Sun Valley High School.

Howell looked pretty good. He showed his quick release and drove the ball well. A few times he sailed passes because his weight distribution was too much on his back foot.

This is a bad year for quarterbacks nationally. There are five or six c/o 2018 QBs I liked better than anyone in the c/o 2019. It had to be a major struggle to find 24 QBs who belong at an event like this, and several clearly don’t already. But Howell does look like he belongs. I had him in my top half of the 24 after Day 1. I think he’s a good bet to make the cut for The Opening.

Some fans asked on social media if Howell should be in line for a rankings bump. I don’t think so. A mid or low four-star rating seems appropriate. He’s a good player with a high floor, but doesn’t look like a transcendent one. I haven’t seen any QB in the 2019 class deserving of a five-star rating. Given how slim the pickings are this year, FSU should be thrilled to have Howell.

At the end of Day 1, there was a competition where players had to throw a 25-yard rail shot (a Cover 2 beater) and Howell was the second-to-last standing.

Howell is trying to bring talent with him to Tallahassee

I spoke with Howell for a bit after the event.

“I get so much out of this,” Howell said. “You get to learn from the best in the country and compete against the best. Coach (Walt) Bell told me to come out here and be myself.”

Howell said that he has been recruiting IMG tackle Evan Neal, Tampa Plant guard Will Putnam, and Chaminade Madonna receiver John Dunmore to come to Florida State. On defense, he has been recruiting Quavaris Crouch, of North Carolina.

I’ll update this with thoughts from Day 2 and Day 3 of the Elite 11.