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Former Ohio State QB Will Howard’s admission on where he almost chose to go in the transfer portal is a crazy coincidence

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Brandon Little | Last updated May 7, 2025 5:56 PM ET

Ohio State had 14 players selected in the 2025 NFL Draft, falling just short of the record 15 picks held by Georgia.

Two leaders from last season’s National Championship team are now teammates with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Jack Sawyer and Will Howard were drafted in the fourth and sixth rounds, respectively, and won’t be far from Columbus. Sawyer is a hometown product through and through, while Howard was exactly what the Buckeyes needed as a transfer in 2024.

Both players recently joined Steelers legend Ben Roethlisberger on his “Footbahlin” podcast, where Howard revealed that he nearly ended up at a surprising destination.

“I think Notre Dame is in good hands with Coach Freeman. I think he’s one of the best around,” Sawyer said.

“I was really close to going there out of the [transfer] portal when I first jumped in,” Howard added.

Howard paused and smiled, “But they wanted Riley [Leonard], so you know.”

Howard had one year of eligibility remaining after four seasons at Kansas State, where he appeared in 34 games. He threw for 35 touchdowns and 4,010 yards, completing 73 percent of his passes. During the Buckeyes’ College Football Playoff run, Howard delivered exactly what the team needed.

Meanwhile, Riley Leonard was the quarterback Notre Dame had its sights set on from the moment he entered the portal. He proved to be a solid choice for the Fighting Irish and was eventually selected in the later rounds of the draft.

Ohio State’s decision to replace Kyle McCord with Howard was a pivotal move—and a fitting twist, given that Howard nearly joined the very team he ended up defeating in the title game.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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