Despite coming off a national championship win, Will Howard is far from considered a top-tier prospect in the 2025 NFL Draft. While he’s viewed as one of the top 10 quarterbacks in this year’s class, most expect him to go in the late fourth or early fifth round.
But Jon Gruden, the former NFL head coach with a Super Bowl ring, isn’t buying the consensus. Gruden believes Howard is the best quarterback in the draft and even compares him to 2024 MVP Josh Allen — all because of one shared trait.
Jon Gruden Names Will Howard, Josh Allen Shared Trait
Gruden has been making the rounds lately with his pre-draft series “Gruden’s QB Class” with Barstool Sports — a revival of the format he used during his ESPN days on “Gruden’s QB Camp” from 2010 to 2018. Former Ohio State quarterback Will Howard appeared on the show, allowing Gruden to evaluate his game firsthand.
Does Will Howard remind you of Josh Allen?
They both went to the combine at 6’4 and 235 lbs! pic.twitter.com/HBgLaUnqoZ
— Jon Gruden (@BarstoolGruden) April 8, 2025
“You’re a big dual-threat quarterback, aren’t ya?” Gruden said, clearly impressed. The former Buccaneers coach seemed more and more sold on Howard the more tape they watched together.
Howard’s biggest selling point is his frame. At 6-foot-4 and 236 pounds, he’s almost identical in size to Allen, who was just a pound heavier at the NFL combine. “You guys are the same size. So that’s how big of a guy you are,” Gruden pointed out.
Gruden also compared Howard’s plays and some from Super Bowl champ Jalen Hurts. He even questioned why Howard isn’t getting more buzz as the top quarterback in the class.
“I mean, how the hell do people not like you as the No. 1 quarterback in the draft? You’re a young Josh Allen,” Gruden said.
In his lone season at Ohio State, Howard threw for 4,010 yards and 35 touchdowns. But despite those strong numbers, a few key concerns have hurt his draft stock and pushed him out of the first few rounds.
Howard’s biggest issues are mechanics and decision-making. His inconsistent ball placement has exposed his lack of elite arm strength. He’s also struggled to read complex defenses, especially after the snap, and his processing speed under pressure can slow him down.
While Howard has made some flashy plays and shown leadership skills, those traits haven’t been enough to move him up the board. Pro Football Sports Network’s 2025 NFL Mock Draft currently projects him as a late third-round pick, landing at No. 101 with the Los Angeles Rams.