After all the buzz about the Pittsburgh Steelers possibly taking a quarterback early on in the 2025 NFL draft, the team threw a curveball and didn't select one until drafting Ohio State product Will Howard in the sixth round.
Howard now joins a quarterbacks room that includes Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson, and could also include Aaron Rodgers if he signs with the Steelers instead of retiring.
Howard will definitely sit for at least one season if Rodgers signs, but if the future Hall of Famer doesn't, Howard could compete for a starting job immediately.
“The Steelers are an organization I have a lot of respect for a lot of years," Howard said after the draft. "Coming into this process I was hoping the Steelers would take me because I thought it was a great organization. I am so blessed.”
One of the many things that attracted the Steelers to Howard was his work ethic, which was well-known from his days in college. Well, it didn't take long for the quarterback to show that upon being drafted.
As Howard's mom revealed to Devin Jackson of the Inquirer, Howard reached out to Steelers quarterbacks coach Tom Arth the day after he was drafted to ask for the play installs, which Arth obviously loved.
“[Arth] wrote [Will] back and said, ‘Hey, we were going to give you the weekend off, but this is why we drafted you, because it’s the kind of worker you are,’” Howard's mom, Maureen, revealed.
While we love Howard's skill set and potential, the fact that he's a sixth-round pick means he's facing an uphill climb in the NFL. But, with the kind of work ethic he's become known for, he has a better chance than most late-round picks to pan out.
“No one will outwork [Will]," Maureen added. "I can guarantee you that he’ll give it everything he has.”
As anticipation builds for Howard's practice debut, Steelers fans will get their first chance to see him when Pittsburgh holds its rookie minicamp from May 9-11.
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