The Pittsburgh Steelers have finally added a quarterback to their roster. The team used the No.185 overall pick in Round 6 on Ohio State quarterback Will Howard, who was the starting quarterback of the National Champion Buckeyes in 2024.
The Steelers passed on Shedeur Sanders and other quarterbacks to select Howard in Round 6. The 23-year-old posted a productive campaign at Ohio State last year, tossing 35 touchdowns to 10 interceptions with a 73.1% completion rate.
Howard likely won't be Pittsburgh's starting signal-caller in 2025, and experts seem to be divided over the pick by general manager Omar Khan.
Steelers draft grades for Will Howard
Mike Moraitis, The Sporting News: A
Moraitis: "Finally, a quarterback! Howard won a national title with Ohio State last season, so he has a winning pedigree. Along with that, Howard has all the tools to be a successful NFL quarterback with a strong arm, accuracy and plus-athleticism. He offers a promising quarterback for the Steelers to develop for the future."
Brent Sobleski, Bleacher Report: C
Sobleski: "The Pittsburgh Steelers should have been in the quarterback market earlier. A sixth-round selection isn’t going to truly challenge for the starting job. Though Ohio State’s Will Howard certainly fits what Pittsburgh likes at quarterback with his big frame, work ethic and toughness as a runner. It's difficult to look at Howard and not see a quarterback whom coaches instantly love. From the pocket, Howard improved each year. He's not always consistent with his ball placement, but he made some big throws throughout his collegiate career."
Ostly: "Pittsburgh has a glaring need at quarterback and opts to address it in Round 6. Howard is a big, strong passer with very repeatable mechanics and thrived at Ohio State when distributing the ball to four future NFL first-round picks. He has a strong arm which will come in handy for downfield concepts and experience as a scrambler which will work in Arthur Smith's system. His ceiling is relatively low but his floor is pretty high."
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