Former Kansas State and Ohio State quarterback Will Howard is now actively in conversations about the Pittsburgh Steelers' next signal-caller.
But that doesn't mean they're all good. Amid all the praise and glory, there are those reducing Howard to an afterthought, considering he was a sixth-round pick with the majority of his career as an average quarterback. ESPN analyst Louis Riddick is among this bunch, lauding Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson as Pittsburgh's future.
"I like Will Howard, but not as much as I like Ty Simpson," Riddick said Wednesday afternoon on NFL Live. "I don’t even think they’re in the same stratosphere as far as their ability to throw the football."
Riddick defended Simpson's late-season struggles, saying the team's plummet was the reason Alabama fell apart in the last six games.
"The latter half of his season wasn’t all on him," Riddick said. "The guy was banged up, the offensive line is very inconsistent, the running game was non-existent, and the wide receiver corps is up and down from week to week. Then, he turns it around in the playoffs against Oklahoma and brings his team back from a 17-point deficit. He’s tailor-made for Mike McCarthy's system, and Mike has coached some good quarterbacks."
NFL Draft analyst Mike Miller disagreed with Riddick, pegging Howard as the ideal guy in a tough division like the AFC North.
"I don't think [Ty Simpson] is an AFC North-type quarterback. I think if that is what they’re looking for, that is Will Howard or someone like Malik Willis," Miller said. "If you look at Ty Simpson, he's 6'2" and 208 pounds. The things that you love about Ty Simpson are poise, processing speed, and accuracy, but that fell off over the last six games of the year."
Howard spent four seasons with the Wildcats, winning a 2022 Big 12 championship and being selected to the All-Big 12 Second Team in 2023. He accumulated 5,786 passing yards, 48 touchdowns, and 25 interceptions, with 921 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns.
Still, it wasn't nearly enough of a resume to apply for the pros, which is why he switched to Ohio State for his final season. Howard had a dominant postseason run, capped off with a title, elevating his Draft stock from a cast-off to a potential Day 2 or 3 selection. Now, however, his future looms in the air, with conversation constantly shifting on whether he can be the franchise option.
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