6”5. 240lbs. A legitimate rushing threat out of the backfield who can move the chains with his legs. The only national champion in this entire quarterback class. Why, again, is Will Howard not more revered from an NFL lens? There are a couple of nagging worries that have prevented the Ohio State QB from breaking the proverbial glass ceiling looming over him and his draft stock. Firstly, the sample size of him at the bluebloods, or lack thereof. Secondly, who he had at his disposal in that relatively short amount of time.

Conceded, Will Howard was throwing to the best receiving corps. In the country en route, the Buckeyes run to the Natty. Jeremiah Smith, Emeka Egbuka, and Carnell Tate may have made him look better than he is. But, this caveat may have caused Will Howard’s perception to get overcorrected. Somewhat clouding the masses’ judgment of his individual play. He was still facilitating them brilliantly, which does count for something. But that’s the crux of the issue and discourse around Howard. He’s viewed as a mere facilitator. Using a Charles Barkley analogy, a bus rider rather than a driver. A trailer and not a truck. Someone who’s not a force multiplier that accentuated his supporting cast but actually rode their coattails. Well, a former NFL quarterback reckons he sees through the mirage.

The best litmus test of an athlete is how they deal with adversity. As clichéd as that sounds, you gotta know how a boxer reacts when they get punched in the face. Will Howard has dealt with his fair share. Transferring over from Kansas State to a program that needs you to glue together the most expensive roster assembled in College Football history brings a certain pressure. But when it’s Ohio State looking to snap a decade-long championship drought, that pressure escalates to some very gaudy heights. Some would even say it’s comparable to what’s felt in the NFL. Howard didn’t just work under duress; he thrived. These “intangibles” are baked into why Danny Kannell implied people may be sleeping on Will Howard. Kannell listed his top 7 QBs over CBS Sports HQ, and slated Howard at a respectable #5. He elaborated why.

“I think [Will Howard] was one of the more underrated, underappreciated quarterbacks last year,” said Danny Kannell. He reinforced how the “pieces around him” were the reason for this. “But he’s [a] guy who’s physically impressive…sort of a brick house. He can take the hits that he needs to take at the next level. I liked him back at Kansas State, when he was calling the shots there and won a Big 12 championship. Then he goes to Ohio State [and] wins them a national championship,” added Kannell. He proceeded to speak on Howard’s “most impressive” trait, or collection of traits rather.

“Most impressive thing for me [are] the intangibles, because he had to deal with the most pressure,” Kannell remarked. He didn’t just point to the aforementioned reasons that come with donning that scarlet and gray jersey. Kannell even pointed to 2 particular instances that could’ve been make-or-break for his confidence. Heck, even his career. “[Howard] went through the ups and downs, never wavered. Including that game against Oregon where he came up just short,” This refers to their regular-season meeting when Howard mistimed his slide and caused the clock to run out, meaning the Buckeyes couldn’t kick a go-ahead field goal. Aside from this, Kanell even brought up that egregious loss in The Game to Michigan. “He showed me a real physical, mental fortitude,” he resounded. As a National Champ and former 4th round draft pick himself, Kannell can relate to Howard more than most.

This actually segues into Will Howard himself preaching to the choir about his psyche. As he ascends to the NFL ranks, Howard’s got a chip on his shoulder. This is ironic given his champion status, but it makes sense due to how much he’s been undermined throughout this draft process.

Will Howard sends a powerful message across to the league

Will Howard is being projected as a Day 3 pick in the draft. Day 2, if the stars align in his favor. But instead of sulking, he’s using this skepticism as fuel to drive forward. Howard made an appearance on NFL Films’ Hey Rookie series. In a teaser posted on the NFL IG handle, there’s a clip of him being questioned in a boardroom setting around a straightforward premise: “What makes you feel like we should draft you? Why Will Howard?” Here’s his insightful reply on how he’s approaching the cynicism head-on.

“I feel like my whole career, I’ve been overlooked,” said Howard. He implied that not receiving a scholarship offer from his local school, Penn State, changed his perception and sparked a change. He then said, “I was trying for years. [When] I went to Kansas State, I said, ‘I want to prove those people wrong. I hope Penn State looks back and says, Damn, we’ve missed out Will Howard’ When I get to the NFL, I don’t want you guys to miss out on me,” Will Howard even channeled his inner Josh Rosen. “Every single team that picks a quarterback in front of me, I’m going to make it my mission to make sure that they regret not picking me.”

Will Howard isn’t delusional or naive. He’s one with the reality of the situation, that there’s not much leverage from his escapades at OSU. The skills will permeate over to the NFL, but the credibility won’t. He’s back to square one and has got to prove things all over again. Reading the tea leaves would suggest it’s pretty much a certainty he’s going to be a backup initially. Howard just hopes he gets his opportunity to “prove people wrong” in due course.