On a day when Shedeur Sanders, once a contender for No. 1 overall pick, fell out of the first three rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft, Will Howard’s slide shouldn’t be surprising.
However, names such as Dillon Gabriel and Tyler Shough picked ahead of Howard prompt questions on what it is that the Ohio State QB lacks.
Will Howard’s ‘Questionable Decision Making’ Key Factor Behind Fall To Day 3
After four seasons at Kansas State, Howard transferred to Ohio State for his final collegiate year. The move paid off for the 23-year-old and the Buckeyes.
“Though Howard was clearly on the rise, questions followed when he initially transferred to Ohio State regarding whether he would be the quarterback to lead them to postseason success,” PFSN’s Jacob Infante wrote.
“He silenced doubters pretty quickly, however. A third-team All-Big Ten member in 2024, Howard reached career highs with 4,010 passing yards, a 73.0% completion percentage, a 175.3 passer rating, and a 14-2 record as a starter. He capped off his strong season with a national championship, defeating Notre Dame and earning the Offensive MVP of the game for his efforts.”
Howard’s impressive season positioned him as a legitimate mid-round prospect, and given the lack of signal-calling depth in this class, he could very well have been selected on Day 2. However, it was Gabriel, Shough, and Milroe who got drafted ahead of him, and a key reason behind that was his decision-making.
“Even in 2024, though, Howard was prone to some of the questionable decision-making processes he showed earlier in his collegiate career. If he is to take the next step once he gets to the NFL, he’ll need to be more careful with the ball and be more precise going through his progressions,” Infante mentioned.
Howard also struggled to adjust to post-snap defensive looks and was inconsistent in the pocket. But even bigger concern is that he had the lowest EPA per dropback grade, according to Pro Football Focus’ John Kosko.
“Quarterbacks generally struggle when forced out of rhythm—whether due to pressure, tight coverage eliminating their first read, or a combination of both,” Kosko wrote. “None of the quarterbacks in this class generated a positive EPA per dropback in these situations, and the highest-graded passer, Kyle McCord, managed just a 66.1 grade. Howard, however, had the lowest grade at 36.2 and failed to produce a single big-time throw.”
Nevertheless, Howard, armed with a cannon and a compact release, has improved various aspects of his game, including accuracy down the field in 2024. He is very likely to get drafted on Day 3, and if not the fourth, Howard should find a suitor by the fifth round.
