Why is leveling up in honor RNG based?

It sounds like an inflammatory title but I promise I'm not trying to be, it's a legitimate question. Out of everyone on my friends list (been playing since season 1) I only have 2 friends who are honor level 3. One I don't play with too often but he plays probably about a game every other day or so. What really bugged me was that my friend who only plays when I'm on, and plays about 1/5 as much as I do hit honor level 3 before me.

Riot themselves have said that if you aren't punished for reports, you won't slow down in honor progress, so what gives? I've played around 5 times as many games since honor comes out, usually get like 2-3 honor a game and am almost always a positive force in chat, if not a neutral one just informing people about objectives. Maybe I've been reported a few times for "feeding" when I had a bad game or a 4 man premade reported me or something, but I've never actually been punished so none of that matters, right? I just don't understand what the deal is. My friend who got it today only plays with us when everyone is on, and barely ever gets honors from randoms. I mostly play solo, so most of my honor is from randoms which Riot says is worth more than premade honor, so what's the deal? I understand there is no progress bar because it's a "holistic" level up or something, but why are players who play more and get more honor being left out of the cool honor level 3 stuff and players who barely play and don't talk in chat leveling faster? It just makes absolutely no sense and has to be RNG based as to when you level up because I can think of no other reason my friend who plays less, is honored less, and interacts with randoms less, would get 3 before me?

Side note, don't players who hit honor 5 by the end of the season receive something? We're nearly 2 months into the honor system and most of us haven't hit 3 yet, which I assume has a lower requirement to reach than honor 4 or 5. I really need someone to shed light on how this system works, I know Riot has said they don't want honor to feel like a grind but in light of what I said above honor literally just feels like a brick wall that makes me frustrated with the game I love because people who play far far less than I do are progressing when I am getting more honor, it just makes no sense.