When most people talk about Will Howard, they talk about his legendary championship run with Ohio State in his fifth collegiate season.
His tenure with Kansas State is often forgotten. Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike McCarthy is one of the few who acknowledge Howard's Wildcats resume. He even said it would have been enough to make him pick Howard earlier in the Draft. Many are writing off Howard as a sixth-round selection, but McCarthy refutes that point based on his previous success.
"People get caught up in what round he went in, but if I was drafting players that year, he wouldn’t have been around in the fifth or sixth round," McCarthy said to reporters last week. "I valued him higher than that based on his Kansas State [experience], and I thought he jumped out of the TV set during the college playoffs. What’s not to like about him? I think he's definitely a real prospect as a starting quarterback. I believed that when he came out."
And to be fair, Howard did have a decent display with the Wildcats. In four seasons, he amassed 5,786 passing yards, 48 touchdowns, and 25 interceptions. Howard won the Big 12 championship in 2022 (just the third in team history) and was an Honorable Mention for the 2023 Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year.
It just wasn't enough to move many people until he really solidified himself in Columbus, OH. A decent resume, but one that wouldn't really stand out for most people applying for the pros. And yet, he's still getting massive hype and is in talks for being the franchise's future. McCarthy and many others continue to be huge supporters of Howard in his transition to the NFL.
"I think there's a lot of growth with his feet," McCarthy said about Howard. "The challenge I see in college football is it's so scheme-heavy, and they're running these quarterbacks. Their schemes are so diverse, so there's not a lot of training in the footwork."
Perhaps his Ohio State was the Matthew Stafford chapter he needed in his career: heading to a better team to truly unlock his potential. And that potential was unleashed and capitalized on in a title run for the ages. For all the doubters, many anticipate he'll ride this momentum as a Pittsburgh Steeler.
JOIN THE COMMUNITY
Don't miss out on our ROUNDTABLE community and the latest news!
It's completely free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members. Download the free Roundtable APP, and stay even more connected!