Keep in mind it’s just one practice. Rookie minicamp, at that. A session compared to a walkthrough with players going through the motions as they get acclimated to the NFL. But reviews on sixth-round rookie QB Will Howard are already promising.
Offering a recap of the team’s first of three practices this weekend, the PPG’s Ray Fittipaldo had nothing but glowing remarks about the top quarterback in camp.
“You can tell he played five years of college football and quarterbacked a team to a national championship. He looked very comfortable in his first practice,” Fittipaldo said in a video with colleague Brian Batko.
Howard is one of two quarterbacks participating in the Steelers’ rookie minicamp and atop the “depth chart,” working ahead of tryout invite Seth Morgan. Howard will take a backseat when veteran Mason Rudolph reports later this month, but this weekend is a great chance for him to display the leadership evident throughout his college career.
His path wasn’t easy nor conventional. A relatively light recruit, he left Eastern Pennsylvania to attend Kansas State. There, he was shifted in and out of the lineup when injuries to Skylar Thompson and Adrian Martinez struck. He consistently battled for his starting job, opting to stay and compete rather than transfer. Howard secured his spot and led the Wildcats to a Big 12 title.
He transferred to Ohio State and in a single season became a leader and propelled the Buckeyes to a national title. Howard bounced back from tough losses to Oregon and Michigan, exacting revenge on the Ducks in a blowout playoff win. They were moments that prepared him for the NFL.
“It was interesting watching him talk after practice, too,” Fittipaldo said. “He’s a very impressive guy. Polished with the media, which you would expect coming from Ohio State.”
Speaking with reporters, Howard expressed excitement about landing with the Steelers, the team he was not so secretly hoping would take him.
Howard is still a late-round pick with no guarantee to make the 53. Pittsburgh’s long-term answer likely rests in the 2026 draft and Howard’s chances of playing come September will be slim. But spring is the time to be optimistic, and everything on Howard since he’s been drafted has been positive.
