Cashius Howell was one of the most productive pass rushers in college football last season, and his scouting report looks at how productive he might be in the NFL.
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Cashius Howell 2026 NFL Draft Profile
Measurales:
Height- 6’2″
Weight- 253 lbs
Background:
Howell attended Rockhurst High School in Kansas City, MO, where he was a three-star recruit in the class of 2021. He committed to Bowling Green, and redshirted his first season with the team. In 2022, he appeared in 13 games and recorded two sacks. He emerged as one of the best players in the MAC in 2023 with a conference-leading 9.5 sacks on the season and earned third-team All-MAC honors. After a stellar 2023 season, Howell transferred to Texas A&M.In 2024, Howell played in all 13 games for the Aggies recording four sacks, 8.5 tackles for loss, and seven pass deflections.
In 2025, Howell led the team in both sacks and tackles for loss, and finished tied for second on the team in pass deflections as well. Howell finished the season ranked seventh in the country in total sacks. He was named a unanimous All-American and won SEC Defensive Player of the Year. Howell helped Texas A&M reach the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history with an 11-1 regular season record.
Strengths:
Howell is a tremendous athlete and plays the game with a non-stop motor. He has great flexibility and bend around the edge, and has good burst off the line of scrimmage. Howell is a nuanced pass rusher with strong and active hands, and he has an array of pass rush moves he uses, including a very effective spin move and ghost move. Howell had elite production as a pass rusher in college.In his two seasons in the SEC, Howell recorded a 92.3 pass-rush grade with a 19.8% pass rush win rate, according to PFF. He has also finished in the top 20 in all of college football in total sacks twice in his college career. Howell has a knack for batting passes down at the line of scrimmage, recording 13 pass deflections in his last two seasons. He is also a reliable tackler.
Weaknesses:
The biggest concern for Howell is a lack of ideal size and arm length for the position. He is an undersized edge rusher at 6-foot-2 and 253 pounds, and his 30 1/4-inch arm length is one of the shortest arm length measurements for any edge rusher in NFL Combine history. Howell can struggle at times to disengage from blockers. Against the run, he can struggle to consistently anchor at the point of attack.
Potential Team Fits:
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Philadelphia Eagles
San Francisco 49ers
Seattle Seahawks
NFL Projection:
Howell is an explosive athlete with good pass-rush skills and multiple years of great pass-rush production in the SEC. However, size and especially arm length are a concern for Howell at the next level. He lacks ideal arm length and can occasionally struggle to disengage from blocks. He gives great effort against the run and is a reliable tackler, but he will need to get stronger at the point of attack at the next level. Despite these concerns, very few edge defenders are as advanced as a pass rusher as Howell currently is, and he has great speed and bend. Howell has the potential to develop into a highly productive pass rusher in the NFL.
2026 NFL Draft Big Board
Prospect Grade:
Early Second Round
Main Photo: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images