There’s already been considerable hype for quarterback Will Howard, particularly given that the Pittsburgh Steelers only drafted him in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. But that hype doesn’t appear to be stopping anytime soon.
That’s because of what NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero said about the quarterback while appearing on The Rich Eisen Show on Friday.
“From everything I’ve been told, this was a really good time for Will Howard, the Ohio State quarterback coming off a national title,” Pelissero told Eisen on Friday. “Even though Mason Rudolph was taking the No. 1 reps, it sounds like Howard was really good through those practices.
“He’ll continue to get, I anticipate, a bunch of reps in the minicamp next week.”
If that wasn’t enough, Pelissero then fired a very bold claim about Howard’s future.
“Potentially you might have, whenever the succession plan takes effect 2026 or beyond, maybe with a sixth-round pick you might’ve found a guy in Will Howard. Who somewhere down the line could be the guy who takes the reins from Aaron Rodgers.”
It wasn’t entirely clear up until Thursday that Aaron Rodgers was going to be the guy Howard could potentially take “the reins” from in Pittsburgh. But Rodgers did finally sign with the Steelers on Thursday.
Howard is expected to be the No. 3 quarterback in 2025. Steelers Nation is certainly hopeful he could be a lot more in the future.
Steelers’ Will Howard Impressive at Offseason Workouts
Howard performing well at OTAs is going to be music to Pittsburgh fans ears.
Since practically the moment the organization drafted Howard at No. 185 overall, the fan base has propped him up as a potential future franchise quarterback.
If that were the case, Howard likely wouldn’t have remained on the draft board until the sixth round. But the Steelers may have also been fortunate he was there.
Before the draft, NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein projected Howard to be worth a fourth or fifth-round choice.
“Howard brings outstanding size and toughness to the table. He showed good improvement over the last three seasons,” Zierlein wrote. “He is more a vessel of the play-caller than a playmaking talent, though.
“Typically, he reads half the field and makes reasonable decisions with the football, using good mechanics and consistent accuracy.”
NFL teams don’t typically find franchise quarterbacks anywhere on Day 3 of the draft. Zierlein concluded Howard is probably best suited for a career as an average backup.
But some quarterback prospects selected on the final day of the draft have surprised. The Steelers have hope that Howard’s strong desire to play in Pittsburgh and his work ethic turn him into “the guy” one day after Rodgers.
Steelers Quarterback Depth Entering Minicamp
Playing is oftentimes the best way to develop. But on Pittsburgh’s developing offense and behind the team’s young offensive line, Howard potentially starting as a raw rookie shouldn’t be appealing.
As Pelissero said, Howard was QB2 at the team’s offseason workouts. Veteran Mason Rudolph took all the starter repetitions.
But as Rudolph’s backup, the former Ohio State quarterback was just one practice injury away from becoming QB1.
With the arrival of Rodgers, that changes. Now, Howard can approach the 2025 season completely as a redshirt year. Barring multiple injuries, he’s not going to play. Instead, Howard can focus on his long-term development.
Rodgers will enter Pittsburgh’s minicamp next week as QB1. Rudolph is expected to serve as his backup with the sixth-round rookie behind both in an emergency capacity.
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