How often does a National Championship-winning quarterback fall far in the draft? Usually, you’d think a title-winning quarterback would be a lock for the first round. But not new Pittsburgh Steelers QB Will Howard.
Despite winning the National Championship with Ohio State last year, Howard fell all the way to the sixth round. He was the eighth quarterback drafted, behind players like former Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel and former Syracuse (and Ohio State) QB Kyle McCord. Could waiting to the sixth round hurt Howard’s confidence?
Probably not. Because it’s certainly not the first time Howard has dealt with trouble. Whether it was during his first four years playing at Kansas State or stumbles on the road to the title at Ohio State, Will Howard has practically seen it all.
“Something I like to hang my hat on is my ability to deal with adversity,” said Howard on Tuesday’s episode of Footbahlin With Ben Roethlisberger. “I think in my career, at K-State and then at Ohio State this past year, I’ve seen pretty much every situation that a quarterback can see. I started off as a backup. I got thrown in as a true freshman, and didn’t know what the hell I was doing. I got benched. I’ve been a third string. I’ve been a freaking starter, coming in and winning the championship. And then, you know, having a guy come in and split time with you. I’ve seen almost every situation.”
Will Howard isn’t a former five-star recruit who played for a blue-blood school his entire college career. He didn’t even play 10 games in a season until his fourth year at Kansas State. But he overcame splitting time and inconsistent starts to win the title with Ohio State.
But even Howard’s time at Ohio State wasn’t smooth sailing. Early in 2024, the Buckeyes traveled to Oregon to take on the Ducks in a matchup of undefeated, top-three ranked teams. And Howard had the ball with time ticking down and the opportunity to beat a top-ranked team on the road. He had already thrown for over 300 yards and two touchdowns. But the Buckeyes were down 32-31 with seconds on the clock.
Ohio State faced a third-and-20 from the Oregon 38 with six seconds left and one timeout remaining. Howard doesn’t have the biggest arm, which is part of why he fell in the 2025 NFL Draft. But he can run the ball.
“In my head, I’m like, we need 15, I can’t throw that,” Howard said about taking a short checkdown option. “So I pump-faked it to him, and I’m like, alright, I’m gonna just take off and see what I can get and see how far I can get. I remember looking up and seeing it tick from two to one, and I tried to get a little extra yard, and then I got down.”
But the game clock hit triple zeros, Oregon fans flooded the field at the Autzen Zoo, and Ohio State suffered its first loss of the season.
WILL HOWARD DOESN’T GO DOWN AND OREGON WINS 😱 pic.twitter.com/hjUVwCzGPE
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 13, 2024
Then, there was the matchup with Penn State at State College. Howard grew up a Nittany Lions fan, but Penn State never tried to recruit him. So that matchup was personal. But it started out as a disaster. On Howard’s first pass attempt of the game, he threw an interception that Penn State returned for a touchdown. It was a horrid start for both Howard and the Buckeyes.
Mistakes like the failed slide or a pick-six on the first pass of a game could shatter a young quarterback’s confidence. But Howard persisted. And he led the Buckeyes to a 20-13 win in hostile territory.
Will Howard has one of the most essential traits for a football player at any position, but especially at the quarterback spot. He’s resilient.
“I’ve thrown three picks in a game,” Howard said. “I’ve thrown four touchdowns, I’ve done everything, you know? And I’ve learned a lot. I’ve learned how to deal with those tough times. I think that’s what sets me apart, because I’ve seen it, I’ve done it, and I know how to respond.”
That’s an incredible mentality for a young quarterback. To already be resilient and to have shown the ability to respond when things get bad is incredible. Will Howard isn’t coming into Pittsburgh saddled with the expectations that fans and media alike shower a first-round quarterback with. But undoubtedly, he has high expectations for himself. He also has the mentality to weather the inevitable storms he’ll face throughout training camp and the season, playing or not.
After all, it won’t be the first time Will Howard has been a backup or even a third-stringer. He knows how to handle that. The question is whether he’ll get the chance this year or next to prove he can climb from the third-string to becoming a winning starter in Pittsburgh.
