Texas A&M star Edge talks NFL future and college playoff run

For several football players, the season has ended, and preparation for the NFL Draft is now underway. Yet Texas A&M star defensive end Cashius Howell still has the chance to showcase more quality tape against elite competition for NFL scouts.

If the Aggies had not reached the CFP , Howell’s last game likely would have been against Texas at DKR a few weeks ago. While a standard bowl game can be unpredictable, the potential injury risk with little reward is not worth it when you are projected as a first-day pick by multiple teams.

Howell’s rise has been meteoric this season, transforming from a player with no preseason accolades into the SEC Defensive Player of the Year and a finalist for the Lombardi Award. He earned himself significant value this year, even if he does not fit the prototypical size of a professional defensive end. Still, the tools are all present, making him an intriguing pass-rushing weapon.

“I was prepared to carry this workload because I watched those before me do the same thing. Watching them and how they operated in 2024 definitely helped me take this step forward in 2025. I have no doubt about that.”

Howell has refused to let his size become a hindrance, insisting he is constantly improving and working to string together pass-rush moves.

“I wasn’t blessed with that. I’m not upset about it. I’m not going to say that. I haven’t had to do much adapting either. I have complete confidence in my abilities, regardless of the fact that my arms may be shorter than the next EDGE rusher.”

He has also shown versatility in his approach.

“Yeah, I can hit that spin move back to the inside. You’re seeing me do that occasionally. Every now and then, I can use power and hit my change-up pitch. I can surprise offensive linemen if that B-gap is open.”

For now, Howell’s focus remains on unfinished business this season. NFL preparation will have to wait until his days of terrorizing quarterbacks in the CFP are complete. You can check out the entire interview with Justin Melo from The Draft Network here .

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This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Texas A&M star Cashius Howell talks NFL future and CFP run