Ohio State's Will Howard seemingly wills Steelers into drafting him
In a clip shared by the NFL previewing the next episode of "Hey Rookie: Welcome to the NFL," Howard pleaded for the Steelers to select him as he watched the final rounds of the draft with family and friends.
"Please pick me, please," Howard said in the clip. "Please pick me, Pittsburgh."
The next shot of the edited clip shows Howard getting a phone call from the Steelers, informing him that Pittsburgh is drafting him with the 185th overall pick.
"Are you ready to be a Steeler?" an unidentified member of the Steelers' organization asked Howard.
"F-----g right, man," Howard said with a grin as he slapped the tabletop next to him in excitement. "Let's go!"
Steelers coach Mike Tomlin eventually took the phone to chat with Howard.
"I'm doing great, coach," Howard replied when Tomlin asked how he was doing. "How are you?"
"Hey, man. Congratulations, man, to you," Tomlin told Howard. "You deserve it, man. To your family, you guys enjoy it today."
Howard, who grew up in the Philadelphia suburb of Downingtown, Pennsylvania, told Tomlin that his family was set to change their NFL allegiance.
"All Eagles fans, but now they're gonna be some damn Steelers fans in this world," Howard said with a laugh while his family applauded around him.
When the pick was officially announced on the broadcast of the draft, Howard got emotional. He teared up as he hugged his mother, Maureen. A few moments later, he and the rest of his family ran to the backyard and jumped into their pool in excitement.
As Howard's football career brings him back to Pennsylvania, he had moved closer to home this past college football season. He transferred from Kansas State to Ohio State ahead of the 2024 season, a move that paid major dividends. He led Ohio State to a national championship, standing out in all four of its College Football Playoff wins. He threw for 1,150 yards, eight touchdowns and two interceptions in the postseason, finishing the year with 4,010 passing yards, 42 total touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
Prior to joining Ohio State, Howard started 27 games at Kansas State. He was named second-team All-Big 12 in 2023 before being named third-team All-Big Ten in 2024 and eventually won Offensive MVP of the national championship game this past season.
FOX Sports NFL Draft expert Rob Rang ranked Howard as his No. 101 top prospect in the 2025 NFL Draft, giving the Steelers a "B" grade for their draft haul as he liked Pittsburgh's selection of the former Ohio State quarterback. Howard figures to be a part of the Steelers' quarterback room this upcoming season as Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson (who Howard backed up at Kansas State) are the only other quarterbacks on Pittsburgh's roster as of Tuesday. The Steelers have still been strongly linked to free agent Aaron Rodgers.
Howard will also reunite with former Ohio State Jack Sawyer in Pittsburgh. The Steelers took Sawyer in the fifth round of the draft.
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