Pittsburgh Steelers rookie QB Will Howard isn’t being bashful about his starter ambitions. Once again, he made very clear that he plans to lead an NFL team. The odds are against him relative to his draft stock, but he never bought his draft position matching his abilities. While he will have a high hill to climb, he has the mentality to take it one step at a time.
“I didn’t feel like my talent level met where my draft stock was”, Will Howard said on the Footbahlin podcast with Ben Roethlisberger, explaining why he didn’t declare for the 2024 draft as a full-time college starter. “I was a Day-3-to-undrafted guy. Going into the NFL, you can have success wherever you’re drafted. Ideally, starting quarterbacks—and that’s my goal, to be a starting quarterback in the NFL—they usually come from the first round. So I wanted to give myself the best chance to do that”.
Howard spent four years at Kansas State, mostly as a starter, experiencing a letdown season in 2023. Anticipating the Wildcats wanted to go another direction at quarterback, he entered the transfer portal. However, he told Roethlisberger that even at that time, he still expected to enter the draft. Had an opportunity come along that was better than declaring, he would consider it. Then Ohio State called, and the rest his history.
Now, Will Howard didn’t have a Joe Burrow-like final college season, even if they both won the national championship. There is a reason Burrow went with the top pick in the draft, and he fell to 185. But what sixth-round pick ever believes that Howard isn’t capable of being a starter?
During his one season at Ohio State, Howard threw for 4,010 yards and 35 touchdowns with 10 interceptions. He posted a 73-percent completion rate and a 175.3 quarterback rating. Importantly, he improved as the season progressed and saved his best football for last. Along the way, he showed the intangibles that make up a typical franchise quarterback.
Beyond the tape, Howard has the prototypical size of an NFL starter. While his arm strength is not elite, he has touch on his deep throws that facilitate big plays. He also credits Ohio State for being instrumental in his growth as a football player, counting Kansas State as being responsible for his growth as a man.
If he can continue to grow with the Steelers, who’s to say how high the ceiling is? Could Will Howard be a starter? The good, good majority of starters are first-round picks, but there are exceptions. Not every sixth-round pick is going to be Tom Brady, but falling to the sixth round isn’t a death sentence either.
But it goes without saying that the Steelers didn’t draft Howard to be their starter. They have Mason Rudolph and are waiting on Aaron Rodgers to make a final decision. As a rookie, expect Howard to spend the season as the emergency third option. But during that time, expect him to take advantage of every opportunity to grow that presents itself. Because when your drive is to reach the top of your profession, there is no moment you can’t seize to grow.
