With the 185th pick of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers selected Ohio State QB Will Howard. After plenty of speculation of when the team would address quarterback, the Steelers waited until late in the draft but got good value as the third quarterback on the roster alongside Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson.
Transferring in from Kansas State, Howard led Ohio State on a national championship run to beat Notre Dame in the title game. Howard played his best football late in the season and was excellent in the playoffs.
Standing in at 6042, 236 pounds with 9-inch hands, Howard profiles as a more traditional pocket passer. But he also carries straight-line speed and is mobile enough for OC Arthur Smith’s offense.
Turning 24 in September, Howard was a three-star recruit from Downingtown, Pennsylvania. Recruited by several Ivy League schools, Howard began at Kansas State. Battling current Steeler Skylar Thompson, Howard threw 48 touchdowns for the Wildcats with 19 rushing scores.
Transferring to Ohio State, he surged under Chip Kelly. Howard completed 73 percent of his passes for over 4,000 yards and 35 touchdowns with seven rushing scores, bouncing back from a tough loss to Michigan to lead Ohio State to a 14-2 record and national title.
Across his career that spanned 44 starts, he threw for 9,796 yards and 83 touchdowns while completing over 63 percent of his passes.
Our scouting report praised Howard for his touch, accuracy and ability to layer the football to all levels of the field. He also showed the ability to stand tall in the pocket. Negatively, he struggled to truly drive the football over the middle of the field. We concluded:
“Overall, I was impressed by Will Howard’s game. He has a lot of the basic tools to succeed and importantly, has a defining trait. Every franchise quarterback needs to have a calling card. They can’t be just average/above average at everything. Howard’s touch and overall accuracy are impressive and will serve him well at the NFL level. And I don’t think it’s a flash in the pan from one playoff run. This isn’t Cardale Jones 2.0.
Of the quarterbacks I’ve studied and produced reports on so far — Alabama’s Jalen Milroe and Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart are the others — Howard is easily my favorite. And it wouldn’t be surprising to see him be the No. 3 quarterback off the board in this year’s draft.”
And gave him a second-round grade.
Howard will compete for the No. 3 job this summer, perhaps with Thompson should Aaron Rodgers sign.
Check out our full scouting report on Will Howard below.
