In his only season with Ohio State, quarterback Will Howard cemented his place in Buckeyes history by leading the team to its ninth national championship.
The victory marked a remarkable end to his college career, as 2024 was also his final year of eligibility.
After spending four seasons (2020-2023) with the Kansas State Wildcats, Howard is now poised to enter the 2025 NFL Draft, where he is shaping up to be an absolute steal for whoever drafts him.
ESPN’s Ben Solak recently published an article predicting the best fits for 12 quarterbacks in the upcoming draft, and Howard was slotted to the Minnesota Vikings in the sixth round.
Solak noted Howard’s strengths and areas for improvement, suggesting a potential role in the Vikings’ system under head coach Kevin O’Connell.
“Howard can access all the levels of the field and is generally safe with the football, but he doesn’t see it fast and will get hoodwinked by coverage rotations at the snap,” Solak wrote.
“He needs an offense like the one Kevin O’Connell runs, as it protects the quarterback from high processing demands…. If he hits, I could see Howard having a Jacoby Brissett-like career in the NFL.
“He might even get the designated sneaker role in Minnesota behind [J.J.] McCarthy!”
The Vikings, fresh off a 2024 playoff appearance, are expected to hand the reins of their offense to J.J. McCarthy after parting ways with Sam Darnold in free agency.
This means Howard, if drafted, would likely face an uphill battle for playing time, at least in the immediate future.
However, Solak’s prediction also hints at a possible competition for the backup quarterback role with Brett Rypien, the Vikings’ only other quarterback on the roster.
Rypien has thrown for 4 touchdowns and 9 interceptions across 10 career appearances, making his position relatively open for a challenger.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding his NFL future, Howard’s 2024 performance with Ohio State has been nothing short of spectacular.
Howard completed 309-of-423 passes, totaling 4,010 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, all while maintaining a 175.3 passing efficiency rating.
As the 2025 NFL Draft rapidly approaches, Howard will undoubtedly look to showcase his abilities and prove that he can be a valuable asset to whichever team takes a chance on him.
The Vikings, in particular, could find themselves with a backup quarterback capable of making an impact if Howard continues to develop his game and adapt to the NFL’s higher demands.
Let’s assume Minnesota does indeed draft Howard … Do you think he has what it takes to overtake McCarthy as the starter???
