With pick 185, the Pittsburgh Steelers finally drafted a quarterback. The Steelers got the pick from the Seahawks as part of the D.K. Metcalf trade, and used it to select Ohio State’s Will Howard. I’ll note that the Steelers have exclusively drafted players from the Big 10 conference so far.
After running with two of the league’s shorter quarterbacks last season, Howard’s 6’4 and 236-pound stature fits in with the priority in size the Steelers have shown during Omar Khan’s drafts.
A native of Downingtown, Pennsylvania, Howard was a four-star prospect ranked as the seventh-overall quarterback in the country. Howard spent four years at Kansas State where he had three or more starts in each season before locking down the starting job in 2023. His numbers weren’t that impressive, never completing higher than 60.9% of his passes. Still a 2,630-yard and 23-touchdown campaign earned him interest from Ohio State where he would play in 2024 as a grad-transfer.
Howard took a dramatic leap in accuracy (72.8%) in 2024 , and his run during the college playoffs was impressive as he seemed to finally have the offense click in his mind. He didn’t put up eye-popping numbers, but he kept the Buckeyes’ offense running smoothly with sound decision-making and some big-time throws.
Will Howard made a killing on throws like this during OSU’s run to the national championship.
At 6’5-235, he will stand in the pocket and work his progressions. He isn’t afraid to attack the MOF. And he’s accurate.
Perfect fit to try to develop in Arthur Smith’s offense. pic.twitter.com/oTLvetr0rp
— Kevin Smith (@KTSmithFFSN) April 26, 2025
Howard is also more athletic than he’s given credit for. I wouldn’t describe him as the fastest or strongest runner, but he’s got enough mobility that I think the Steelers could design a handful of short-yardage and goalline runs for him, should he ever see any playing time.
And it can’t be discredited how Howard’s energy and leadership have been widely praised during the draft cycle.
Fans should have keep their expectations in check with Howard. He or any other quarterback the Steelers could have picked in the sixth round were never going to be guaranteed anything. Howard should not be expected to be a future franchise quarterback or starter at this stage of his career. A strong camp, dedication in the building and seizing any opportunities at playing time will be huge for Howard to prove he can be a starter in the NFL.
For now, we should be excited we have a high-character player. Anything else that comes in the future is gravy.
