The sports and video game industries have been captivated by the marketing and on-field product masterclass that is EA Sports College Football 25. After 11 years, this year, the game was released with a new feature, which is NIL. Before releasing the game, fans were more eager to know the ratings of their favorite players. EA Sports released additional details about College Football 25 on Thursday, the day after the video game’s Top 100 ratings were made public.

 In that rating list, with a team rating of 93, Ohio State is ranked No. 2, tied with Oregon, where Georgia has a 95 overall, making her the top dog. Let’s now look at the quarterbacks of Ohio State, who are the focal point of it all.

Ohio State star quarterback Will Howard has an 85 overall rating in the college football video game. On this spot, Josh Pate, who works for CBS Sports and host of Late Kick Live, said, “Howard’s running ability in the video game will add another dimension to the offense of the Buckeyes’ in the game.” Moreover, you know the veteran quarterback’s final season as a Wildcat saw him throw for 2,643 yards and 24 touchdowns. That is why the majority of people believe he will defeat Devin Brown in the quarterback battle. 

However, Howard got the same rating as former Ohio quarterback Kyle McCord. In 2023, McCord was Ohio’s starting quarterback and contributed a lot to the team. For Howard, standing there with the same rating is not a terrible sign. Albeit, there is always room for improvement. Let’s evaluate Will Howard’s EA rating.

The evolution of Will Howard’s EA rating

Hope, you all know the EA rating is a testament to the performance trait and NIL money of players. Therefore, the evolution of Howard’s EA rating is determined by his track record and NIL deals. Let’s concentrate on his performance. He began playing football at Downingtown West High School. During his time there, he finished with 5,308 passing yards and 48 touchdowns. His engagement wasn’t limited to football; Howard was also a good basketball player for his high school. In basketball, he was also selected to the All-Area team twice and finished his varsity career with more than 1,000 points. So, you can understand how dynamic and talented he is as a player.

In 2019, he joined Kansas State for his collegiate football and began his freshman season as the backup to starting quarterback Skylar Thompson. After spending the junior season in 2023, Howard jumped into the transfer portal, and in 2024, he joined Ohio State. Getting this opportunity, he stated, “The goal I have is to win a national championship. I want to go be a starting quarterback in the NFL; Ohio State gives me a chance to make a jump and leap into that conversation,“.

Come to his NIL deals. Howard signed his first contract with Wildcat NIL on February 21, 2023. He then formed an alliance with the Long Mcarthur Luxury. In addition, he subsequently inked a deal with the restaurant chain Freddy’s, located in Wichita, Kansas. According to On3 NIL valuation, he has been given an impressive amount, which is approximately $1.4 M. Hence, the star athlete has a quite sizable fanbase and marketability. Currently, he is focusing on winning his next battle in college football. 

The dynamics of college football have changed in the current NIL landscape. To know more about brand opportunities for NIL athletes and other issues concerning college football, do watch this ES Think Tank episode with Doug Sanders!