In this year’s draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t spend a high draft pick on a quarterback. Instead, they waited until the sixth round to attack that position, drafting Ohio State’s Will Howard. Usually, sixth-round picks don’t blossom into franchise quarterbacks. Therefore, it’s unfair to call Howard the Steelers’ future under center. However, former NFL head coach Jon Gruden thinks the Steelers got a great player.
“I’ll go on record here,” Gruden said Monday on SiriusXM Radio at the Senior Bowl Hall of Fame induction ceremony. “The Pittsburgh Steelers got a steal in Will Howard. That guy is a stud.”
Throughout the pre-draft process, Gruden did not hide his love for Howard. The young quarterback appeared on Gruden’s QB Class this year, and the former NFL head coach came away impressed. At the very least, Howard has Gruden’s support.
Howard was a great player in college, especially during his final year. In the 2024 season, he helped Ohio State win the National Championship, battling some adversity along the way. Howard saved his best ball for the biggest moments, too. He was named the Offensive MVP of that championship game. The lights were not too bright for him.
During that same appearance, Gruden offered up more praise for Howard.
“I made the comparison to Josh Allen, and everyone said, ‘Oh, Gruden thinks he’s Josh Allen.’ No, I said he’s 6047, 236 [pounds]. I want you to get a feel for how big this guy is. He can run the direct power plays. He can run the zone read plays. He has four touchdown runs of over 70 yards. He won big at Kansas State. He won it all at Ohio State. And he can play in cold weather.”
Gruden did compare Howard to Allen, one of the best quarterbacks in the league today, but only to give a perspective on the rookie’s size. While that doesn’t mean everything, it does matter. Given Howard’s athleticism, it’s even more important. Just this year, Mike Tomlin stressed how much he appreciates mobility at that position.
Can Howard be a franchise quarterback? Maybe, but he has a long road to go to get there. Although he has nice traits and won big games in college, the NFL is a different beast. Luckily, he shouldn’t be thrust into a starting role during his rookie year.
That should allow Howard to sit and learn, working on his game. Perhaps that will help him become a decent starter one day. While Pittsburgh could still draft a quarterback next year, if they find themselves in purgatory at the position again, maybe Howard can provide them with a little comfort. Even if he doesn’t become a star, taking a chance on him in the sixth round felt like a good move.
