Minnesota safety Jordan Howden has been drafted by the New Orleans Saints with the 146th overall pick in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
For Howden, being drafted marks an unlikely journey from going from a walk-on for the Gophers in 2018 to earning a scholarship, being an All-Bigg Tens election, and now being an NFL Draft pick.
As a true freshman walk-on, Howden immediately showed that he was an undervalued prospect coming out of Desert Pines. As a true freshman, Howden played in all 13 games for the Gophers while starting five and recorded 45 tackles while recording one interception and three pass breakups. In 2019, he took a step up, starting in 12 of 13 games while recording 57 tackles and breaking up six passes, he was an integral part of the Gophers' defense that season that helped lead the program to an Outback Bowl victory over Auburn.
The 2020 season saw Howden with another productive season with 37 tackles ins even games before he had a solid 2021 season that saw him post 43 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, and five pass breakups over 12 games. This past fall, Howden played in all 13 games for the Gophers, recording 58 tackles, 3.5 tackles for a loss, and five pass breakups. He earned All-Big Ten honorable mention from the media for his performance.
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