2014 LB/DL Jacob Howe gives his definition of leadership at the 2013 NFL PREP Leadership Program. (Photo: NFL Player Engagement)
As we kick off our “Best of the Best” Football Combine Tour on Monday, July 8th, we’re bringing you another inside feature on some of the top pre-registered players at each event. Stay up-to-date on this exciting week of combine events as we provide coverage at each tour stop. For our second installment, we look at a defensive end who’s making his presence felt on the field – and off.
The last time we saw 2014 DE Jacob Howe (Forest Hills Northern), he was dominating offensive linemen with an array of moves and an All-Combine performance at our March combine in Grand Rapids. That performance came on the heels of a stellar showing at our Senior Exposure Camp in December, where he was one of the few juniors who attended, and a strong 2012 high school season. Howe notched an impressive 78 total tackles including 14 tackles for loss and 4 sacks at the DE position. He also showed some offensive flash and found the end zone eight times at FB.
Howe’s stock has continued to rise off the field as he was selected to participate in the NFL-Wharton Prep Leadership Program last month – an honor afforded to only 18 male high school student-athletes in the entire country. The program recognizes student-athletes who have demonstrated high athletic, academic, and leadership achievements. Staff for the three day program included former NFL player and current lead studio analyst for CBS Sports, Spencer Tillman, and James Harris, former NFL player and current Football Operations Chief of Staff for the Philadelphia Eagles, among others.
Howe said the program connected him with other stand-out football players from throughout the country and changed his point of view on competition and leadership. “Almost all of the guys were football players, some of which were committed to Auburn, Purdue and a few others,” Howe said. “Hanging out with them and learning how their teams worked and how they acted as captains was really cool. I realized how when you’re playing in a football game or really any sporting event, the person on the other side of the ball is just like you are.”
Look for Jacob Howe to be back aggravating O-linemen on Monday, July 8th, at our “Best of the Best” tour stop in Grand Rapids. With another strong performance here against some of the best prospects in the state, Howe will look to solidify himself as one of the state’s best defensive linemen.
To see the complete list of tour stops & learn how to take part in this exciting event, click below:
Lake Michigan Football Report 