Insider Predicts NFL Draft Destination for Ohio State QB Will Howard

INSIDER PREDICTS NFL DRAFT DESTINATION FOR OHIO STATE QB WILL HOWARD

AS THE 2025 NFL DRAFT DRAWS CLOSER, ONE NAME THAT CONTINUES TO GAIN MOMENTUM IS OHIO STATE QUARTERBACK WILL HOWARD. AFTER TRANSFERRING FROM KANSAS STATE TO OHIO STATE, HOWARD TOOK A SIGNIFICANT STEP FORWARD IN HIS DEVELOPMENT, SHOWCASING HIS ARM TALENT, LEADERSHIP, AND ABILITY TO THRIVE IN A PRO-STYLE OFFENSE. NOW, NFL INSIDERS ARE BEGINNING TO ZERO IN ON WHERE HE COULD LAND — AND ONE TEAM IN PARTICULAR HAS EMERGED AS A SURPRISING YET INTRIGUING DESTINATION.

A RAPID RISE IN COLUMBUS

HOWARD ENTERED THE 2024 SEASON WITH PLENTY TO PROVE. AT KANSAS STATE, HE FLASHED POTENTIAL BUT STRUGGLED WITH CONSISTENCY. HIS TRANSFER TO OHIO STATE WAS INITIALLY MET WITH SKEPTICISM, ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE BUCKEYES’ RICH HISTORY OF QUARTERBACK TALENT. HOWEVER, UNDER HEAD COACH RYAN DAY’S GUIDANCE, HOWARD THRIVED IN A SYSTEM TAILORED TO MAXIMIZE HIS ARM STRENGTH AND DECISION-MAKING.

HE QUICKLY WON OVER THE LOCKER ROOM, EARNING THE STARTING JOB AND PUTTING TOGETHER A STRONG CAMPAIGN THAT INCLUDED OVER 3,500 PASSING YARDS, 32 TOUCHDOWNS, AND JUST 8 INTERCEPTIONS. HIS PERFORMANCE AGAINST POWERHOUSE DEFENSES IN THE BIG TEN CAUGHT THE EYES OF NFL SCOUTS, PARTICULARLY HIS ABILITY TO STAY POISED UNDER PRESSURE AND DELIVER STRIKES ON DEEP ROUTES.

DRAFT STOCK SOARS

BY THE TIME THE COMBINE ROLLED AROUND, HOWARD HAD ESTABLISHED HIMSELF AS A LEGITIMATE MID-TO-LATE FIRST-ROUND PROSPECT. HIS SIZE (6’5”, 240 LBS), ARM TALENT, AND FOOTBALL IQ MADE HIM A FAVORITE AMONG SEVERAL NFL FRONT OFFICES LOOKING FOR A DEVELOPING QUARTERBACK WITH STARTER UPSIDE.

ONE NFL SCOUT TOLD ESPN, “HOWARD HAS THE TOOLS. HE’S COACHABLE, TOUGH, AND COMING FROM OHIO STATE, YOU KNOW HE’S BEEN IN A COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT. HE MAY NOT BE A TOP 5 PICK, BUT HE’S GOING TO MAKE SOME TEAM VERY HAPPY.”

AN NFC SOUTH FRANCHISE SHOWS INTEREST

ACCORDING TO NFL INSIDER TONY PAULINE, THE NEW ORLEANS SAINTS HAVE EMERGED AS A POSSIBLE LANDING SPOT FOR HOWARD. THE SAINTS HAVE BEEN DOING EXTENSIVE WORK ON THIS YEAR’S QUARTERBACK CLASS AND MAY LOOK TO FIND A SUCCESSOR TO DEREK CARR, WHO IS ENTERING THE LATER STAGES OF HIS CAREER.

PAULINE REPORTED THIS WEEK THAT THE SAINTS HAVE MET WITH HOWARD MULTIPLE TIMES THROUGHOUT THE PRE-DRAFT PROCESS, INCLUDING A PRIVATE WORKOUT AND A LENGTHY SIT-DOWN WITH TEAM EXECUTIVES AND OFFENSIVE COACHES.

“THE SAINTS REALLY LIKE WHAT THEY SEE IN HOWARD,” SAID PAULINE. “THEY LOVE HIS FRAME, HIS INTELLIGENCE, AND HIS LEADERSHIP TRAITS. HE’S NOT THE FLASHIEST QB IN THE CLASS, BUT HE MIGHT BE ONE OF THE MOST READY TO RUN AN NFL OFFENSE FROM DAY ONE IF NEEDED.”

HOWARD’S FIT IN NEW ORLEANS

IF THE SAINTS DO PULL THE TRIGGER, IT WOULD BE A MOVE GEARED TOWARD THE FUTURE. HOWARD WOULDN’T BE EXPECTED TO START IMMEDIATELY, BUT HE COULD SIT BEHIND CARR FOR A SEASON OR TWO AND DEVELOP UNDER HEAD COACH DENNIS ALLEN AND OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR KLINT KUBIAK.

IN TERMS OF SCHEME FIT, HOWARD’S ABILITY TO OPERATE OUT OF PLAY-ACTION AND MAKE DOWNFIELD THROWS COULD MESH WELL WITH NEW ORLEANS’ CURRENT OFFENSIVE PHILOSOPHY. WITH A SUPPORTING CAST THAT INCLUDES CHRIS OLAVE, ALVIN KAMARA, AND A SOLID OFFENSIVE LINE, HE’D BE IN AN ENVIRONMENT CONDUCIVE TO SUCCESS.

OTHER TEAMS IN THE MIX

WHILE THE SAINTS ARE GAINING STEAM AS A FAVORITE, THEY’RE NOT ALONE IN THEIR INTEREST. THE DENVER BRONCOS, LAS VEGAS RAIDERS, AND MINNESOTA VIKINGS HAVE ALSO BEEN LINKED TO HOWARD. EACH OF THESE TEAMS IS EITHER IN A TRANSITION PERIOD OR LACKING A CLEAR FRANCHISE SIGNAL-CALLER.

DENVER IN PARTICULAR HAS BEEN AGGRESSIVE IN EVALUATING MID-ROUND QUARTERBACK OPTIONS. HEAD COACH SEAN PAYTON HAS BEEN SPOTTED AT SEVERAL HOWARD WORKOUTS AND IS KNOWN FOR HIS INTEREST IN BIG, POCKET-PASSING QUARTERBACKS WHO CAN OPERATE IN A STRUCTURED SYSTEM.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR HOWARD

WITH JUST DAYS LEFT UNTIL THE DRAFT, HOWARD REMAINS FOCUSED. “I’M JUST TRYING TO BE THE BEST VERSION OF MYSELF EVERY DAY,” HE SAID IN A RECENT INTERVIEW. “I’M GRATEFUL FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES I’VE HAD, AND WHATEVER TEAM TAKES A CHANCE ON ME, I’M GOING TO GIVE THEM EVERYTHING I’VE GOT.”

HE’S BEEN TRAINING IN CALIFORNIA WITH A PRIVATE QB COACH, FINE-TUNING HIS MECHANICS AND CONTINUING TO ABSORB AS MUCH FILM AS POSSIBLE. TEAMS VALUE THAT KIND OF DEDICATION, AND IT COULD BE THE FINAL PIECE THAT PUSHES A FRANCHISE LIKE THE SAINTS TO MAKE HIM THEIR NEXT FRANCHISE QB.

FINAL THOUGHTS

WHILE THE 2025 NFL DRAFT CLASS IS STACKED WITH HIGH-PROFILE NAMES, WILL HOWARD IS QUIETLY BECOMING ONE OF THE MOST INTRIGUING PROSPECTS IN THE MIX. HIS GROWTH AT OHIO STATE, COMBINED WITH A STRONG PRE-DRAFT PROCESS, HAS MADE HIM A VIABLE OPTION FOR TEAMS LOOKING TO BUILD AROUND A SMART, TOUGH, AND PHYSICALLY GIFTED QUARTERBACK.

DON’T BE SURPRISED IF THE NEW ORLEANS SAINTS END UP MAKING THAT CALL ON DRAFT NIGHT. HOWARD MAY NOT HAVE BEEN A HOUSEHOLD NAME A YEAR AGO, BUT BY NEXT FALL, HE COULD BE THE FUTURE FACE OF AN NFL FRANCHISE.