Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) throws a pass during the first half of Saturday’s NCAA Division I football game against the Michigan Wolverines. Barbara J. Perenic/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Did Steelers Finally Find Next Franchise QB?

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Steelers on SI
By Jack Markowski | Last updated Apr 27, 2025 11:00 AM ET

The Pittsburgh Steelers crowned Ohio State's Will Howard as its top quarterback amongst the available options late in the NFL Draft, passing up on Colorado's Shedeur Sanders several times over in the process, but can he become a future franchise staple?

To put it lightly, that outcome is implausible. Howard dropped into the sixth round in one of the weaker signal caller classes in recent memory for a reason, and the team itself likely isn't expecting him to raise his game to that level.

Perhaps some fans have inflated hopes for Howard after watching him guide the Buckeyes to a national title this past season, during which he threw for 4,010 yards, 35 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, but that's an unfair prognosis to place upon him.

While the following stat is not the end-all-be-all when evaluating the success of a quarterback, it's still rather revealing: per ESPN Research, and pointed out by ESPN's Adam Schefter, only nine players in league history have flown off the board on Day 3 and gone on to earn multiple Pro Bowl nods at the position.

Shedeur Sanders still is available entering Day 3 of the draft. There have been nine QBs selected in the 4th-7th rounds to make multiple Pro Bowls, per ESPN Research. The most recent was Dak Prescott, who was selected in 2016. pic.twitter.com/D44MqV2RBx
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 26, 2025

The odds are stacked against Howard ever becoming a true long-term solution behind center in Pittsburgh or anywhere else in the league, but again, that type of career trajectory shouldn't be expected from him.

Is it possible that Howard eventually proves to be a viable starter for the Steelers? Absolutely. After all, he largely thrived in that role at Kansas State before transferring to Ohio State ahead of the 2024 campaign and winning a championship there.

On the flip side, it's hard to see a world in which Howard is ever viewed as one of the premier quarterbacks in the league. Sure, he's athletic and has a strong arm, but his processing and mechanics need to be refined.

All of that is to say that Howard's a work in progress, which is completely fine. He could quite easily evolve into a high-level backup or even a mid-tier starter, with either being acceptable end results. Anyone banking on him coming out and solving all of the Steelers' quarterback woes, though, should probably temper their expectations.

This article first appeared on Pittsburgh Steelers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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