Well, it took 3 days, 6 rounds and 184 players but the Pittsburgh Steelers got their quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft when they took Ohio State’s Will Howard in the 6th round.
When announcing Derrick Harmon as their 2025 1st round pick Omar Khan affirmed that the Steelers would bring 4 quarterbacks to St. Vincents and Howard will be one of those. The Steelers were expected to take a quarterback in this draft, but few anticipated them waiting as long as the 6th round.
Will Howard at OSU. Photo Credit: Columbus Dispatch
Steel City Insider’s Roy Countryman initially had Will Howard rated as a 5th rounder on his value draft board. Countryman described him this way:
Howard is a Kansas State transfer who led OSU to a national title his final season. He is calm under pressure with the arm strength to fit passes into any area of the field with velocity.
What he needs to further refine is his ability to cycle through progressions quicker, but he has the athleticism to scramble for key gains and has the size (6-4,236) to withstand the rigors of playing in the AFC North.
However, in his final mock draft, Countryman had Howard going to the Steelers in the 3rd explaining:
…after doing one final viewing of his tape, and taking a look at the landscape of quarterback-needy teams, I can see him being coveted for his size and leadership and he has a chance to go as high as the third round.
….While at times Howard needs to speed up his ability to cycle through progressions, he has the athleticism to scramble for key gains, has the size (6-4,236) to withstand the rugged AFC North, and remains calm under pressure with the arm strength to fit passes into any area of the field with velocity. Plus, he has a drive to make those who overlook him regret it, which shows in his work ethic.
Howard’s play down the stretch is part of what impressed the Steelers, as offensive coordinator Arthur Smith explained, “You always want to see how people respond to adversity. … You want to see those guys respond, and Will was in that leadership role. He played his best football at the end of the year.”
Will Howard Highlights
Here’s a quick view of some of Will Howard’s highlights.
Will Howard joins Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson as the Steelers quarterbacks. There will be a fourth one in the room by the time the Steelers arrive in Latrobe. Whether that chair goes to Aaron Rodgers, another unemployed veteran or some undrafted rookie free agent remains to be seen.
But for now, we’ll simply say, welcome to Steelers Nation Will Howard.
