Steelers NFL draft deep dive: Will Howard's success at Ohio State wasn't just about his talented receivers

Adam Bittner / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Scouts have had plenty to say about the Steelers’ selections in the days since the NFL draft. But what do those who’ve watched them closest think of their fit with their new team? The Post-Gazette is finding out with questions for beat writers who covered each pick in college.

Today, Joey Kaufman of the Columbus Dispatch gives us the scoop on Ohio State’s Will Howard, this year’s sixth-round pick:

Were you surprised that he waited until the sixth round? Given that his grades heading into the draft were generally a bit higher?

A little bit. Before Howard transferred to Ohio State for his last year of eligibility, he looked at declaring for the draft and said he received feedback that he would have gone between the third and sixth rounds. Figuring that was the projection in 2024, it seemed like his success with the Buckeyes should have pushed him toward the higher end of the range.

Some often write off Howard's success at Ohio State because of the quality of receiver he had to work with between Emeka Egbuka and Jeremiah Smith. How fair is that knock in your mind? Does he deserve more credit for what he was able to get out of those guys?

It’s undoubtedly a challenge to evaluate Buckeyes quarterbacks due to the infrastructure surrounding them. C.J. Stroud faced similar questions two years ago. But Howard had a role in their success as well, especially managing their offense. Following the College Football Playoff, coach Ryan Day said 90% of their play calls during the final allowed Howard to check them at the line of scrimmage. His experience, having 44 career starts, made a difference. The postseason run also showed his growth as a downfield passer as he connected on big-time throws.

How skilled do you feel Howard is in reading a defense? Or is that where he's possibly difficult to evaluate because his receivers were so frequently able to overmatch their opponents?

There are times he can lock on to targets. It led to an interception in the third quarter of the semifinals against Texas. But he’s a passer who can distribute to a range of targets. He didn’t overly lean on Jeremiah Smith or Emeka Egbuka.

His size and pocket presence have generated comparisons to Ben Roethlisberger for a lot of Steelers fans. Scouts knock his arm strength, however, which was obviously a huge piece of Roethlisberger's success. Where do the Big Ben comparisons begin and end for you?

The comparison makes sense at first blush. Both are bigger quarterbacks who can move a bit. But Roethlisberger used his legs to improvise and get out of the pocket to extend plays. Howard is more limited. He’s someone who is a willing runner. The Buckeyes ran him to pick up first downs in short-yardage situations. He just doesn’t have Roethlisberger’s creative flair and found most of his success at Ohio State within structure.

Can you speak to his leadership qualities through the emotional roller coaster that the Buckeyes' season became? From the depths of his mistake at the end of the Oregon game, to the upset loss against Michigan, to a dominant playoff run that the sport has never seen before?

If you were to survey the Buckeyes’ staff, they would single out Howard’s leadership qualities as one of his best traits. Day has had more physically gifted quarterbacks in his tenure, but Howard’s intangibles played a significant role in getting them over the hump.