Sam Howell played college football at the University of North Carolina. He joined the Tar Heels as a four-star recruit in 2019 and was regarded as one of the best quarterbacks in the nation. During his time at UNC, he set numerous school records, including most touchdown passes in a single season (38) and career passing yards (10,283) . He played three seasons at Chapel Hill before being selected by the Washington Commanders in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.