{"id":228458,"date":"2025-04-15T12:40:42","date_gmt":"2025-04-15T16:40:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/?p=228458"},"modified":"2025-04-15T12:40:42","modified_gmt":"2025-04-15T16:40:42","slug":"draft-me-or-qb-prospect-will-howard-warns-teams-of-looming-mistake","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2025\/04\/15\/draft-me-or-qb-prospect-will-howard-warns-teams-of-looming-mistake\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Draft Me Or\u2019 \u2013 QB Prospect Warns Teams of Looming Mistake"},"content":{"rendered":"

Think back to 1998, when a lanky kid from Michigan slid to the sixth round because scouts thought he lacked \u201cthe right build.\u201d Tom Brady\u2019s draft story<\/a> is NFL folklore now\u2014a reminder that underestimating hunger can haunt franchises for decades. Fast-forward to today, and another quarterback prospect, Will Howard, is scribbling his own underdog script. But this time, the warning isn\u2019t whispered in hindsight. It\u2019s a headline before the ink dries on the draft board.<\/p>\n

Howard\u2019s tale isn\u2019t just about arm strength or 40-yard dashes. It\u2019s a mix of\u00a0Rocky Balboa<\/em>\u00a0grit and\u00a0Forrest Gump<\/em>\u00a0determination, served with a side of Midwestern humility. Imagine biting into a perfectly charred burger only to realize it\u2019s secretly wagyu\u2014unexpected, undeniable, and impossible to ignore. That\u2019s Howard in a nutshell: a prospect simmering with playoff-tested confidence, ready to flip the script on anyone who skips his name draft night.<\/p>\n

The Warning Shot<\/strong><\/h2>\n

On April 14, quarterback prospect Will Howard made his stance clear during an ESPN interview: \u201cDraft me or you\u2019ll regret it.\u201d<\/em> The Ohio State transfer, fresh off a national title and CFP MVP honors, isn\u2019t mincing words. His stats back the swagger\u20144,010 passing yards, 35 touchdowns, and a championship-winning drive against Notre Dame. However, scouts peg him as a mid-round pick, a label Howard perhaps calls ‘fuel for the fire.’<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cEvery single team that picks a quarterback in front of me,\u201d<\/em> he said. “I\u2019m going to make it my mission to make sure they regret not picking me.”<\/em> Sound familiar? It echoes Josh Rosen<\/a>\u2019s 2018 vow to expose \u201cnine mistakes\u201d<\/em> before him\u2014a promise that crumbled faster than a stale pretzel at a tailgate. Or Shedeur Sanders<\/a>‘ recent “If you’re not ready to make a big change, don’t draft me” <\/em>quip. But Howard\u2019s resume packs more punch: two conference honors, 50 college games, and a knack for rising when stakes soar.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel like my whole career I’ve been overlooked,\u201d<\/em> he added, referencing snubs from Penn State, Pitt, and Syracuse. \u201cNone of those schools offered me. I was trying for years. And I went to Kansas State and said, ‘I want to prove those people wrong.’ I hope Penn State looks back and says ‘Damn, we missed out on Will Howard.’\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

From Manhattan to the Main Stage<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Howard\u2019s journey began at Kansas State, where he broke records (48 passing TDs) but flew under the radar. A 2024 transfer to Ohio State changed everything. Under Ryan Day, he sharpened his pocket poise and unleashed a 73.1% completion rate. \u201cWhen coach (Ryan) Day came and met with me, he said, ‘I believe that you can be the guy that can lead us to the national title,\u2019\u201d<\/em> Howard recalled. \u201cI said, ‘I’m not gonna let you down.’\u201d <\/em>The bet paid off.<\/p>\n

His playoff performance\u2014including a three-TD thrashing of Tennessee\u2014caught even Donald Trump\u2019s attention. At Ohio State\u2019s White House visit, the former president quipped, \u201cOhhh, he\u2019s gonna be so rich,\u201d<\/em> before accidentally dubbing him \u201cTennessee quarterback.\u201d<\/em> The gaffe went viral, but Howard\u2019s focus stayed grounded. \u201cI love being the underdog, and when people don’t expect me to go out and do things, I do it,\u201d<\/em> he said. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh\u2019s interest adds spice to the drama.<\/p>\n

\n

TRENDING: President Donald Trump says that Ohio State quarterback Will Howard will be the next great #NFL<\/a> QB.<\/p>\n

\u201cOhhh he’s gonna be so rich.\u201d<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udc40
\npic.twitter.com\/fa3o9SiWX5<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 MLFootball (@_MLFootball) April 14, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

At the NFL Combine, Mike Tomlin and staff took Howard to dinner alongside Buckeyes stars Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson. \u201cIt\u2019s close to home,\u201d<\/em> Howard said of Pittsburgh<\/a>. \u201cYou never know. Anything can happen. It\u2019s definitely a great spot.\u201d<\/em> The Steelers, eyeing a Day 3 gem, could slot Howard as a high-ceiling backup with starter potential. But questions linger<\/p>\n

Critics point to streaky accuracy and occasional forced throws. He\u2019s got the tools. but needs a system that masks his flaws and highlights his guts. So, Howard\u2019s no plug-and-play prodigy. He\u2019s a project with playoff DNA.<\/p>\n

The Underdog Blueprint: Will Howard\u2019s Path to Payback<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Quarterback prospect Will Howard’s draft pitch hinges on two truths: He wins, and he remembers. His 14-2 record at Ohio State wasn\u2019t just stats\u2014it was ice-in-the-veins moments, like threading a 4th-quarter dagger against Georgia. Teams like the Rams<\/a> and Raiders<\/a>, craving a backup with starter upside, are circling.<\/p>\n

Comparisons to Rosen are inevitable but flawed. Rosen\u2019s career flamed out faster than a cheap firework; Howard\u2019s built different. Josh talked\u2014Will does<\/em>. But this kid\u2019s got that Big Ten grind in him. Besides, Howard\u2019s used to proving doubters wrong, one snap at a time.<\/p>\n

Sure, Trump\u2019s \u201cTennessee quarterback\u201d<\/em> flub was comedy gold. But the viral moment spotlighted Howard\u2019s composure. While social media debated the mix-up, scouts rewatched his 427-yard shredding of Oregon. Howard\u2019s draft range? Rounds 3\u20135. His ceiling? Think Jake Plummer meets a bigger, bolder Taylor Heinicke. For teams like the Saints<\/a> or Lions<\/a>, that mentality might be worth a mid-round flyer.<\/p>\n

A Question of Legacy<\/strong><\/h3>\n

In\u00a0The Natural<\/em>, Roy Hobbs smashes a homer into the lights and asks, \u201cDid I miss?\u201d<\/em> Howard\u2019s arc feels similarly cinematic\u2014a small-town kid chasing glory, armed with a rocket arm and a Reagan-era work ethic. But legacy isn\u2019t written in press conferences or viral clips. It\u2019s carved in fourth-down conversions and locker-room huddles.<\/p>\n

As the draft nears, one question lingers: Will Howard be the next Brady-esque steal or another cautionary tale? Only time will tell. But as Mark Twain once said, \u201cThe secret of getting ahead is getting started.\u201d<\/em> So, NFL GMs: You\u2019ve been warned.\u00a0Draft him\u2014or duck.<\/em><\/p>\n

Main Image: Adam Cairns – USA Today Sports<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

With Trump gaffes, viral swagger, and playoff wins, Will Howard\u2019s draft story is already too bold to ignore.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5474,"featured_media":228488,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1647],"tags":[32605,2598,32479,331,10069,33176],"class_list":["post-228458","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl-draft","tag-2025-nfl-draft","tag-josh-rosen","tag-quinshon-judkins","tag-tom-brady","tag-treveyon-henderson","tag-will-howard"],"modified_by":"Isaac Zuniga","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/228458","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5474"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=228458"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/228458\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":228489,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/228458\/revisions\/228489"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/228488"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=228458"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=228458"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=228458"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}