Cashius Howell 2025 NFL draft prospect profile, grades, rank, measurements

Texas A&M has consistently produced NFL defensive linemen and edge rushers in recent years. Cashius Howell is the newest monster to be unleashed. Howell has spent two years at College Station following his initial three years of college football at Bowling Green.

This season, Howell is tied for second in the nation in sacks with 12 on the season to go along with 41 total pressures. Howell transitioned this season to being a full-time starter for the first time in his college career. He was in a rotation with future NFL top draft picks Shemar Stewart and Nic Scourton during the 2024 season.

Howell is arguably the most advanced pass rusher in the upcoming 2026 NFL draft. He has the explosion and the first step to threaten the outside shoulder of any offensive tackle. Howell also has a deep bag of pass-rush moves and a good feel for chaining them together throughout a game.

Howell will step into a designated pass rush role right away. He needs some work still to manage some of his physical limitations. He is extremely productive in Texas A&M’s defense, and sacking the quarterback is a valuable skill in the NFL.

Howell has one measurable that will be a hot-button issue for the entire draft process. Howell has very short arms for an NFL edge rusher, and he will reportedly measure in with sub-31-inch arms. Howell would be an NFL historical outlier with an arm length below 31 inches.

Measurables

Name: Cashius Howell
Height/weight/class: 6'3 248lbs, edge rusher, redshirt senior
Awards: 2025 SEC Defensive Player of the Year

What Cashius Howell does well

Texas A&M edge rusher Cashius Howell — Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Explosive first step out of his stance challenges offensive tackles outside shoulder and opens other rush options
Utilizes a solid pass rush plan and chains rushes together to set up moves
Establishes the outside edge and shows a solid understanding of leverage to prevent ball carriers from reaching the corner

Where Cashius Howell can improve

Needs to improve block deconstruction to prevent getting washed out of plays or manhandled by guards
Needs to develop and sharpen counters; he will often lean on effort when losing initial rep against tackles

Grade, position rank, expected draft round

Grade: B

Position rank: #6 edge rusher

Expected draft round: Late 1st-Early 2nd

Summary

Cashius Howell is a good football player and edge rusher. His testing and measurable results in the pre-draft process will be a huge factor for his draft stock. There are teams in the NFL that have fairly consistent guidelines for certain positions, and arm length for edge rushers is one of the standards.

Howell can step into a designated pass-rushing role early, but the fit, system and development will determine his ceiling.