The Pittsburgh Steelers added a new quarterback to their roster during the 2025 NFL Draft, as the team selected Ohio State’s Will Howard in the sixth round during Day 3.
Howard had an excellent 2024 campaign for the Buckeyes, tossing 35 touchdowns to ten interceptions with a 73.1% completion rate. The 23-year-old was a key piece to Ohio State’s National Championship-winning squad and showcased why he could be a functional quarterback at the next level.
Though Howard is unlikely to start in his rookie year, as the Steelers are still in pursuit of Aaron Rodgers and want a veteran starter, former NFL head coach Jon Gruden believes Pittsburgh got a steal in Round 6.
“The Pittsburgh Steelers got a steal in Will Howard,” Gruden said during a recent appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio. “That guy is a stud.”
Gruden has been a respected offensive coach for decades, so his high praise of Howard is a really good sign.
The National Champion is already making a fantastic first impression on the Steelers, as Howard reached out to Pittsburgh’s quarterbacks coach Tom Arth the day after he was drafted for the play installs, according to Howard’s mom.
“[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 to Devin Jackson of the Inquirer.
We’ll see if Howard can develop into a future contributor and the Steelers’ long-term answer at quarterback, but it’s clear that he’s off to a good start, and Gruden also seems to be impressed.
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