I can’t recall a sixth-round pick drawing this much attention ahead of their rookie season like QB Will Howard has. Besides the position he plays and the grim, long-term outlook at quarterback on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ roster, the buzz might be for good reason. One NFL insider believes Howard can safely be classified as a steal when comparing his potential to where he was selected at No. 185 overall.
“During the season, I’ll be very blunt. I was like, I feel like Will Howard is always coming up a second late or an inch short. And then the playoff run happened, and I mean, he played outstanding throughout the entire course of the playoffs,” said Underdog’s James Palmer via 93.7 The Fan’s PM Team. “I do think it was lower than a lot of people thought…I do think there was enough people in the league that believe there are some traits there with the size and the speed that Will [Howard] has, as well as an NFL arm for sure.”
Some of the knocks on Howard include his lack of top-end athleticism and arm talent. While neither of those traits is elite by any means, he showed more than enough talent to work with in both areas throughout his college career.
Joe Burrow is an example of a player who doesn’t necessarily have elite arm talent or athleticism. Still, he is above average at both, makes great decisions, and has excellent accuracy. I am not directly comparing Howard to Burrow. Still, it’s important to remember that elite arm talent and athleticism aren’t the be-all and end-all indicators of quarterback success.
Howard didn’t have the best start to his first season with Ohio State, but it was a completely different offensive system than the one he ran at K-State, and he very clearly improved when it mattered most.
He completed 82 of 109 attempts (75.2 percent) for 1,150 yards, eight TDs, and two INTs over the four-game College Football Playoff run. He also had 33 carries for 95 yards over that stretch and took only four sacks.
“I do think it was a big change for him. I remember when he arrived in Columbus and talked to some people there and how excited he was to work in that Chip Kelly offense, and I think we saw a lot of growth in that year,” Palmer said. “Let’s see what he can grow in another year, specifically working with a coach that I really respect, like Arthur Smith.”
At the end of the season, he was just hitting his stride under Kelly’s pro-style offensive system. Howard had previously been working in more of an RPO and zone read offense at K-State, which didn’t quite fit his skill set.
Arthur Smith turned Ryan Tannehill into a Pro Bowl quarterback without elite arm talent or athleticism. What can he do for a promising quarterback like Howard?
It is unclear how or when he will get his first opportunity, especially if Aaron Rodgers eventually signs. For now, Howard needs to keep his head down and prepare as if he is the starter. If the talent is there, it will eventually rise to the top and allow him to seize the opportunity.
