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A steady rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Thunder possible. Low 64F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%..
A steady rain this evening. Showers continuing overnight. Thunder possible. Low 64F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 90%.
Updated: May 17, 2024 @ 10:27 pm
CHAPEL HILL — In seeking to better assist North Carolina quarterback Sam Howell’s development from the college level to the NFL, offensive coordinator Phil Longo tapped into two of the best ever to play the position.
Drew Brees and Kurt Warner, the retired Super Bowl champions and former All-Pros, have provided useful information and notes throughout the NFL Draft process for Howell, who figures to be selected Friday night.
Longo met Brees at the end of October, when the Tar Heels played at Notre Dame. Brees, the New Orleans Saints legend, called that game in his television analyst role for NBC. Longo said he has “gotten some really good feedback” from Brees.
“The reason he and I struck up some good conversations is I’ve often said I thought Sam, from a skill-set standpoint, is very similar to Drew Brees,” Longo said recently at Kenan Football Center.
Longo said North Carolina assistant coach Dré Bly’s relationship with Warner, the Pro Football Hall of Famer, offered a connecting point. Bly played defensive back for St. Louis Rams teams that featured Warner and weapons such as Marshall Faulk, Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce.
NC players eyeing NFL careers:
“We talk weekly now with Kurt Warner,” Longo said. “I’ve asked him for some of his feedback with regards to, what can I do, and this was over the last two years, to help prepare a guy that’s headed to the NFL to help his transition. And obviously, as he gets better for that transition, he gets better for us. And so Sam was able to do a lot of those things, and they benefitted our football team.
“I say all of that to say this, with all of the feedback from different people, everything is predicated on quick decisions and a quick trigger.”
The second and third rounds of the NFL Draft take place Friday night. Only one quarterback, Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett, was chosen Thursday night during the first round. Howell is among a group of quarterbacks likely to be picked Friday night that includes Malik Willis of Liberty, Desmond Ridder of Cincinnati, and Matt Corral of Ole Miss.
Longo said Dallas Cowboys quarterbacks coach Doug Nussmeier has been another valued voice, as Howell’s path has reached the doorstep of the NFL after starring in the Atlantic Coast Conference across the last three seasons for coach Mack Brown’s Tar Heels.
“He’ll be successful at the next level because of preparation, because of elite arm talent,” Longo said, praising Howell. “He’s incredibly accurate. He can get the ball out quick, which I think is a huge asset at that level. Even from this level to that level, I think the better you get at making decisions and triggering the football, the more pressure you take off the offensive line. Those are just things you have to do to survive.
“You told Sam Howell something once and he knew it for the three years that he started. There wasn’t a lot of repetitive coaching. He’s not a rep guy. You teach it on film and it typically translates on the field. He did so much to prepare himself in addition to what we did, that we were able to progress and grow the offense. Your offense is only going to progress and it’s only going to be run as fast as your quarterback can handle it. And so Sam afforded us the luxury to do some more progressive things, and to run the offense at a particular tempo because he could handle it mentally.”
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Adam Smith is a sports reporter for the Burlington Times-News and USA TODAY Network. You can reach him by email at asmith@thetimesnews.com or @adam_smithTN on Twitter.
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This article originally appeared on Times-News: NFL Draft prep for UNC QB Sam Howell includes advice from greats Drew Brees, Kurt Warner
