There's a new quarterback in Pittsburgh as the Steelers selected former Ohio State signal-caller Will Howard in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft with the No. 185 overall pick. The 23-year-old Pennsylvania native is fresh off a College Football Playoff National Championship, the perfect end to a campaign in which he completed 73% of his passes for 4,010 yards, 35 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
In the national title game against Notre Dame, Howard completed 81% of his passes for 231 yards, two touchdowns and rushed for 57 yards. He became the first player to ever complete 80% of his passes while throwing for 200 yards and rushing for 50 yards in a College Football Playoff game. Howard was a transfer from Kansas State, where he played his first four collegiate seasons. He leaves college with a 29-14 record as starter.
CBS Sports NFL Draft expert Josh Edwards graded the Steelers' selection of Howard a "B."
"Pittsburgh had to come away from this draft with a quarterback as they await the future of veteran Aaron Rodgers. Will Howard has some traits that can be developed if allowed to sit and learn behind Rodgers. The Pennsylvania native stays home."
As Edwards mentioned, Steelers fans are anticipating the arrival of four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers, but there's no guarantee the 41-year-old quarterback ends up in Pittsburgh. Art Rooney II hopes to get an answer from Rodgers "soon." Howard joins a thin QB room that includes just Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson right now. At the very least, he's going to have the opportunity to compete.
