Sam Howell declares Drake Maye as best quarterback in the 2024 NFL Draft

“Best QB in the draft! Couldn’t be more proud! @DrakeMaye2,” Howell wrote on Twitter.

These two crossed paths over in Chapel Hill for one season back in 2021. Howell was the starter that year as a junior while Maye was a true freshman. Howell threw for 3,056 yards, 24 touchdowns, and nine picks on 62.5% completion in his final college campaign in leading a Top-20 offense, even though the team finished below .500. That capped off a career as an all-time passer at UNC and in the ACC. As for Maye, he appeared in four games that year. All of his numbers in the season came in the second-to-last outing against Wofford.

Howell went on to be the 144th pick in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Washington Commanders. He’d been with the Commanders the past two years, including being their starter this last season where he threw for 3,946 yards, 21 touchdowns, and a league-high of 21 picks on 63.4% completion and a league-most in attempts with 612. That was before they traded him to Seattle in March for a pair of picks in this draft.

As for Maye, he took over for Howell in 2022 as QB1 at North Carolina. In his 26 games over the last two seasons as the starter, he threw for just shy of 7,500 yards with 62 scores and 16 picks at 64.8% completion. He also ran 296 times for 1,147 more yards and 16 touchdowns.

That helped the Tar Heels to post a pair of Top-30 offenses and go 17-10. As for Maye individually, he won ACC Player of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year in 2022. He also became a top quarterback prospect in 2023, which eventually resulted in the choice of him at No. 3.

Howell might be a bit biased considering he shared a quarterback room with Maye for a time in college. He believes it either way, though, as his former teammate became the latest Tar Heel to make it to the next level as one of the highest-ever selections in school history.