There may not be a single player in college football who did more to help his draft stock in the first iteration of the College Football Playoff than quarterback. Will Howard.
During the Buckeyes’ title run, Howard completed 82 of 109 passes for 1,150 yards, eight touchdowns and two interceptions. A number of those completions represented some of the best throws of Howard’s college career. A 42-yard bomb, dropped in a bucket on the senior WR Emeka Egbuka against Oregon in the Rose Bowl, for example, stands out. The same goes for the championship-sealing deep ball and the freshman phenom. Jeremiah Smith on third and 11 in the fourth quarter against Notre Dame.
It took a lot of courage to make a throw like that in that situation, leading by just one possession in the final minutes of the game. It’s the other part of Howard’s game that was on full display throughout a memorable playoff run. He operated the pocket and the offense with composure, never letting the tense moments of the biggest games shake him.
It was probably this aspect of his game that attracted Ohio State to Howard in the transfer portal in the first place. This will also be one of the main reasons Howard moves up the selection committees in the coming months. Maybe even the Cleveland Browns writing board?
The potential connection between the Browns and Howard will be fascinating to follow, beyond the simple fact that he finished his college career just two hours south on I-71.
The pre-draft process could prove just as beneficial for Howard as this playoff run. There is still much to see. That’s not to say Howard will enter the conversation at No. 2 overall, where Cleveland is expected to make its first selection in the 2025 NFL Draft. Only two signal callers in ColoradoIt is Shedeur Sanders And Miami’s Cam Room are part of this conversation right now.
For Howard, a memorable campaign with the Buckeyes showed some pretty clear limitations in his abilities. He threw the ball behind the line of scrimmage often — that’s what happens when you have permanent Day 1 picks at almost every offensive position. And while he has shown promise in being able to push the ball downfield, it’s not something he seems to be doing fairly consistently thus far.
Before he attends the Senior Bowl, the NFL Combine or a Pro Day at Ohio State, it’s fair to think that Howard has at least become a second-day pick in the draft. If the Browns decide not to take a QB with the second pick, perhaps even trading up to accrue more capital, and plan to use a veteran bridge under center next year, Howard could certainly be an option for them as second or third. Round rookie QB they hope to draft and develop.
That’s not to say Browns fans should expect Howard to become that franchise QB they’ve wanted since the team’s return in 1999. At this point, it’s hard to say if he could really become that Cleveland player. But at the very least, it would make for a fun story and an easy sell for the organization looking to bring a glimmer of hope and excitement to the most important position in football.
