The Pittsburgh Steelers continue their road trip along the Pro Day scouting trail. After a brief hiatus to meet with quarterback Aaron Rodgers—which caused them to miss Michigan's Pro Day—Pittsburgh's brass is on hand for Ohio State's Pro Day on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin and general manager Omar Khan met with a trio of Ohio State prospects ahead of their Pro day in Columbus, including running backs Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson as well as quarterback Will Howard.
Pittsburgh clearly has a need at running back. Najee Harris signed a one-year deal with the LA Chargers in free agency, and even with the addition of Kenneth Gainwell, Jaylen Warren needs another running mate in the backfield.
The Steelers have been eyeing running backs during the pre-draft process. However, Pittsburgh doesn't have a second-round pick after trading for DK Metcalf, and both Henderson and Judkins are expected to be off the board before the Steelers' third-round pick with the 83rd overall selection.
This makes the Pro Day visit with Will Howard particularly interesting.
The Steelers learned Tuesday that Russell Wilson had inked a one-year deal with the New York Giants. While a reunion with Wilson in Pittsburgh felt unlikely, this option is officially off the table. Now the front office has entered desperation mode, and we can add Howard to the list of potential quarterback draft targets in 2025.
The Pittsburgh Steelers could select Ohio State QB Will Howard in the 2025 NFL Draft
The Pittsburgh Steelers still have their hearts set on Aaron Rodgers for the 2025 season, and now that the Giants have signed both Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston, the biggest threat to poach Rodgers in free agency has been neutralized. But even if Rodgers lands with Pittsburgh, the Steelers will hunt for a quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Rodgers will turn 42 years old late in the 2025 season, and the early reports suggest the Steelers are not willing to give the aging veteran anything more than a one-year deal. To avoid getting stuck in a similar situation again next year, Pittsburgh will attempt to draft a quarterback this April.
Now that Pittsburgh's brass has had a sit-down with Will Howard, we can put the championship quarterback firmly on the map as a possible target. Howard doesn't possess elite arm talent, but he's a big quarterback who can run an offense and escape the pocket when needed with mobility that at least checks the box.
Most NFL analysts project Howard to land somewhere between rounds three and four of the NFL Draft. There seems to be a theme going with the Steelers, as this team has also expressed interest in projected mid-round quarterbacks like Jalen Milroe, Quinn Ewers, and Tyler Shough.
The Steelers' interest in Howard suggests they could take a dart throw at the Ohio State QB in the draft, but Howard is unlikely to be a long-term answer. Despite his impressive college resume, Howard projects as a long-term backup in the NFL. Still, getting a rookie quarterback under contract seems to be a goal this April.