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Brooke Pryor
PITTSBURGH — Another quarterback down. One to go?
The Pittsburgh Steelers lastly added to the quarterback room by deciding on Ohio State’s Will Howard within the sixth spherical (185th total), becoming a member of him ready group with former Kansas State teammate Skylar Thompson and Mason Rudolph. Howard is the primary quarterback chosen by the Steelers because the staff drafted Kenny Pickett with the twentieth total choose and Chris Oladokun within the seventh spherical in 2022.
The Steelers have been clear that they plan on taking 4 quarterbacks to coaching camp, which means there’s one spot remaining because the staff awaits Aaron Rodgers‘ extended choice. Steelers proprietor and president Artwork Rooney II stated Friday the staff “may get word soon” on Rodgers, who’s a free agent for the primary time after being launched by the New York Jets earlier this offseason.
“That’s certainly a possibility,” coach Mike Tomlin informed NFL Community on Saturday of including Rodgers. “I’m not going to forecast the ifs and whens regarding not only him, but any other potential free agent. We’ve had really productive talks with him, and I’ve enjoyed having productive talks with him and getting to know him.”
In Howard, the Steelers landed a quarterback with nationwide championship-winning pedigree after he helped the Buckeyes to a title in his lone yr with the college. That have — and his elevated play throughout the playoffs the place he threw for 630 yards, 5 touchdowns and accomplished 74% of his go makes an attempt — impressed the Steelers brass.
“You see him in the big moments of critical possession downs, even in the national championship game, momentum plays to kind of end the game,” Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith stated. “Extremely excited to work with Will.”
For the season, Howard accomplished 73% of his makes an attempt, second to solely Shedeur Sanders in completion proportion amongst FBS quarterbacks in 2024. He additionally threw for 4,010 yards, 35 touchdowns and 10 interceptions as he helped the Buckeyes go 14-2.
Howard can be the second Ohio State participant drafted by the Steelers this yr after the staff took outdoors linebacker Jack Sawyer within the fourth spherical.
“Jack and I are about as close as two guys could be,” Howard stated. “I always said throughout this process — one of these Ohio State guys, I’m going to end up with one of them. And man, I’m so glad that Captain Jack and I are going to Pittsburgh together.”
In his profession, together with 4 seasons at Kansas State, Howard handed for 9,795 yards, 83 touchdowns and 35 interceptions and accomplished 63.8% of his go makes an attempt.
Rooney informed Steelers Nation Radio on Friday that any quarterback added to the roster by way of the draft would probably be a developmental undertaking. That’s a problem Howard stated he’s embracing.
“It’s not a matter of what happens out on the field or if I play right away, it’s about getting better and it’s about learning,” Howard stated after being chosen. “And whoever is in the room with me, whoever is there competing with us, I just cannot wait to delve into this situation and to really give my all to this team, because that’s how I do things, man. I don’t do things half in, I go all in, and I have every expectation that this next step with the Pittsburgh Steelers is going to be amazing for me.”
Although the staff didn’t host Howard on a predraft go to, the Steelers had a proper interview with Howard on the NFL scouting mix and had dinner with him the evening earlier than his professional day in Columbus.
“When you get to spend time with somebody, you get to learn what they’re about and really how they interact with their teammates, what other people think about ’em at the facility,” Smith stated of what he realized of Howard. “I came away, all of us did, just extremely impressed with Will.”
