Arthur Smith liked Will Howard in April when the Pittsburgh Steelers made him their sixth-round draft pick. That feeling hasn’t changed four months into their working relationship. After two weeks of training camp, the second-year Steelers offensive coordinator offered encouraging words on Howard.
“I’ve been impressed with Will,” Smith said in a one-on-one interview with 93.7 The Fan’s Jeff Hathhorn in a pre-recorded interview that aired Monday. “You saw it on film him and you get to know him as a person. He’s very mature from the neck up. He’s as good as any young guy in terms of recall, huddle command.
“He’s still a rookie. They all have to adjust to the speed. But Will’s done a nice job.”
Smith got to know Howard throughout the pre-draft process, meeting with him at the NFL Combine and Ohio State Pro Day where Steelers brass dined with Howard. Expected to be an early Day 3 selection, Howard, like many quarterbacks of the 2025 class, slipped past expectations. That fall was Pittsburgh’s gain, beefing up its front seven and still able to snag Howard in the sixth round.
Like quarterbacks coach Tom Arth, Smith thinks Howard is beyond a typical rookie. His football IQ is one of the notable elements of his background. Recruited by Ivy League schools, he nearly went that route before Kansas State offered him a scholarship. After winning the Big 12 Championship there, he transferred to Ohio State and led the Buckeyes to a national title in just one year on the job. His time spent around NFL coaching, notably Ohio State OC Chip Kelly, made him more NFL-ready than most.
So far, Howard has had a solid training camp. Some rookies have a deer-in-the-headlights look. Not Howard. He knows where to go with the ball and plays on-schedule. There are areas to improve, notably cleaner exchanges and handoffs, and his camp has generally been “safe” without many elite-level throws. But he’s looked better than the typical late-round rookie and has comfortably pulled ahead of QB Skylar Thompson after splitting reps with him early in camp.
Howard will open the season as the team’s third-string quarterback, the Steelers intending to let him sit and learn. Injuries could always change those plans and while Howard needing to play would be less than ideal, the Steelers seem to think he can handle the challenge.
