NFL Draft

1/21/25

7 min read

2025 NFL Draft: Ohio State's Will Howard Is This Year's Sleeper QB

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) reacts after a play against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the second half the CFP National Championship college football game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) reacts after a play against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the second half the CFP National Championship college football game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images.

In a thin quarterback class for the 2025 NFL Draft, Ohio State Buckeyes QB Will Howard is starting to emerge in that second tier of prospects after an impressive late-season run.

Howard stepped up when it mattered most for Ohio State, leading them to a national championship after taking down the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 34-23 on Monday night. Howard was named the game's offensive MVP after completing 21-of-25 passes for 231 yards, two touchdowns, and a clutch third-down deep shot to Jeremiah Smith to seal the win.

The postseason surge from Howard on a national stage was the perfect way for him to wrap up his college career in the eyes of NFL scouts. Now, with the pre-draft process in full swing, Howard will have a chance to keep climbing up draft boards because his body of work in 2024 deserves some attention.

Latest Top 100 Big Board, Draft Rankings

Howard's Unexpected Draft Rise

There was a time not too long ago when Howard wasn't viewed as a future NFL quarterback.

Howard spent four seasons with the Kansas State Wildcats, and while he showed flashes as a passer, he looked like a Day 3 prospect at best. He completed just 58.8 percent of his passes with 7.4 yards per attempt, 48 touchdowns, and 25 interceptions, rushing for another 921 yards and nine scores.

Howard's efficiency skyrocketed this season once he transferred to Columbus. In just one year at Ohio State, he completed 73.1 percent of his passes with 9.5 YPA, 35 touchdowns, and just 10 interceptions, adding seven more touchdowns on the ground.

While Howard's rushing efficiency was down, he still used his mobility to his advantage, particularly by avoiding sacks. Other prospects in this draft class have a pressure-to-sack ratio above 20 percent, but Howard was sacked just 16 times all year for a P2S ratio of just 13 percent.

Teams that tried to pressure Howard by bringing extra defenders paid for it. According to Pro Football Focus, Howard posted a 139.8 NFL passer rating against the blitz this year, completing 75.2 percent of his passes with 15 touchdowns and just one interception.

Howard also thrived on throwing the ball deep. While 20-plus yard passes only accounted for 11.1 percent of his attempts, Howard completed an impressive 27-of-47 deep shots for eight touchdowns and just two interceptions.

All of these numbers are impressive, but his overall efficiency as a passer was near the top among all quarterbacks in college football. The only two quarterbacks with higher marks in EPA per dropback and adjusted net yards per attempt were Indiana's Kurtis Rourke and Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart.

Numbers can be misleading, especially at the college level, when throwing to two elite wideouts in Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka. However, the film also shows prospects with some real NFL potential.

The Tape Is Better Than You THink

Howard's tape is encouraging, especially when you consider his significant college experience and 6-foot-4, 235-pound frame.

Howard's arm talent is one of the easier traits to see translating to the NFL level. At his size, the Ohio State quarterback can put legitimate velocity on his passes, even when he's unable to step into throws.

This touchdown in the Rose Bowl against Oregon shows that he has the arm talent, combined with impressive torque and core strength, to deliver an accurate ball to Egbuka down the field and into a tight window.

On top of the velocity and ability to push the ball vertically, Howard has a good understanding of when he needs to take some zip off of passes or put touch on them to drop them in a bucket to a receiver who is blanketed by a defensive back.

Howard showed off deep-ball touch in the College Football Playoff as well, while still hitting his receiver in stride for a touchdown against Tennessee in the CFP first round.

In addition to his arm talent, Howard is a legitimate athlete capable of extending passing plays with his legs or taking off on designed runs. That brings real value to an NFL era when offensive coordinators can wrinkle in quarterback-designed runs to keep defenses on their toes.

Howard's 235-pound frame allows him to withstand some punishment as a runner, but he also has more play speed than you'd expect. He can get past second-level defenders on his way downfield.

A mobile quarterback with the ability to push the ball downfield has a real place in the NFL. He also has significant playing experience at the college level, which is becoming more valuable for teams after watching Jayden Daniels and Bo Nix hit the ground running immediately as rookies after playing tons of college football.

However, there are also some concerns for Howard as a prospect. As a rookie, he'll be 24 years old, limiting his long-term upside if a team is hoping for him to be a franchise quarterback for the next decade or more.

There are also some concerns about Howard relying too much on his athletic ability and not focusing enough on his mechanics, whether it's stepping into a throw or delivering a pass from a clean base.

Along with the mechanics, Howard can fall victim to staring down his first read instead of trying to scan the field. This allows defensive backs to read his eyes and start jumping passes before they're even thrown, leading to some game-changing plays like this one against Penn State.

Howard also had trouble handling pressure when his offensive line didn't pick it up. According to PFF, his passer rating dropped 38.0 points when throwing under duress, showing a tendency to throw passes up without considering the risk.

The good news is that these issues feel fixable with the right coaching, and Howard showed drastic signs of development during his time at Ohio State.

Where Does Howard Stack Up?

After diving into the tape and seeing his late-season surge, Howard should be taken seriously as an NFL Draft prospect.

However, Howard doesn't have the physical tools or upside of the top tier of prospects. Cam Ward, Shedeur Sanders, and even Jalen Milroe have the potential to be electric quarterbacks with their playmaking ability and have a leg up on Howard on that front.

The next tier of quarterbacks becomes much more competitive for Howard, and he may have a leg up on the rest of the class. Dart has some terrific arm talent but doesn't have the size that Howard possesses. Rourke was a real pocket passer at Indiana, but a re-torn ACL and limited mobility limits his long-term upside.

Other quarterback prospects include Quinn Ewers, Dillon Gabriel, Riley Leonard, and others. Ewers has the strongest argument for QB4, but after a national championship run, Howard could keep closing that gap over the coming months heading toward the 2025 NFL Draft.


Make sure to check out our new home for all of our NFL Draft content.


RELATED