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Will Howard

Drink IRON City said:
His injury came at the wrong time and the Tomlin & his staff had no idea how to evaluate / develop him. They stuck / buried him on scout team QB, purgatory.

Tomlin had opportunity to clinch POs but couldn’t, didn’t use any opportunity to get Will playing time.

The “Doubt” came from the short comings of the Tomlin handling of the search for a QB, not the QB himself.




Salute the nation
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You nailed it. Great post.

timsim00 said:
Thank you @Black & Gold Bleeder . I have been singing Will Howard praises since we drafted him. I truly believe he is our QB of the future and will be Ben'esque for our needs. I hate hearing the Malik Willis or 'Pittsburgh will be looking to draft a QB'. Come on man, those people needed that reminder.

I would LOVE A-Rod to come back a year and give Howard some mentorship and the guidance of a QB builder in McCarthy.
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I also think that Willis would be a bad move for this team. We would be stuck at 9-8 forever. Don't see the upside.

The only advantage to having Aaron come back is to help Howard. I'm not convinced we even need that. Not that Howard can't learn from him and improve, but that Aaron was slipping, IMO, and I don't want that. He might be a great QB coach, though.
 
fedderone said:
Agreed.
However, Jeremiah Smith may very well be a #1 overall pick, or at minimum, top 5 next April.
He is SPECIAL.
Sometimes it's not a bad thing to be Scottie Pippen next to Michael Jordan, or Kevin Greene opposite Greg Lloyd.
It's not that he sucks, it's just there's different levels of greatness.
I don't think Tate is as good as Smith, but I also think he can be a team's #1 easily, and at worse case scenario, the #2.
And that's a pretty good pick at #21 for a team starved for offensive firepower.
In our case, he can be Robin to DK's Batman for a year or two and then take over as #1.........IF we draft him.
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Aside: absolutely bonkers that Smith hasn't won a Biletnikoff Award yet. Got beat out by Makai Lemon this year.
 
Punxsutawney said:
Several QBs were still taken ahead of Howard, including Shadeur.

It could be all those teams missed the boat, but all of them definitely saw something they didn't like.

One can say the same for the Steelers, considering how long they waited to draft Howard.
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From what I gathered from draft experts, they are starting to think many NFL teams will either value a QB in the first round (or early second) or not at all. Basically, they consider draft a QB in the middle rounds a wasted pick because they can find early impact players at other positions.

Another plus for Howard is he has extensive starting experience and improved each year(yards, completion %, TDs) in two offensive systems.
 
Punxsutawney said:
Several QBs were still taken ahead of Howard, including Shadeur.

It could be all those teams missed the boat, but all of them definitely saw something they didn't like.

One can say the same for the Steelers, considering how long they waited to draft Howard.
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Anytime the browns draft a QB, I ignore it. They clearly have no idea what they are doing. Dillon Gabriel was over drafted, Sanders was a forced pick by the owner.

Everyone else I had right around the same ranking. Dart, is still raw but has upside. Schough came on late in the season, thanks to possibly our new OC, but his age dropped him in the draft. Milroe is another that was over drafted, GREAT athlete, not so much as a QB.

Again, that group all ranked closely together, but once they slipped, it was just which team thought thought they could develop which one.

I really liked Schough, and was told over and over he was too old...but if I can get 10 years from a QB, that's a GREAT pick. So even with Howard being a late pick, he's got time. And sitting behind Rodgers was/is a really good thing.
 
Black & Gold Bleeder said:
My only reservation is that I'm no qb evaluator, and I don't understand why he lasted to the 6th round.
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I was a QB, went to QB camps, and I've coached QB's at various levels minus college and NFL...so take this with that in mind. :)

Will's biggest knock was that he's slow to read defenses and made bad decisions with the ball, and they're correct. He was a turn-over machine at Kansas State and although that improved some at Ohio State, many felt that it was more about the talent around him than improved decision making. When you have a QB with lingering turnover problems in college, the risk often grows at the NFL level. From what I've read, many saw his ceiling as a solid backup but personally, I don't believe Will put enough tape out there to be judged that way. He started in 27 games in 4 years at K State and then 12 with OSU, and it was only that final year where he put things together.

Obviously, he has the size and other physical intangibles to be an NFL starter. He struggles with accuracy outside the numbers and his accuracy also takes a hit when he's under duress, he doesn't have that pure arm strength and uses his core to put more power behind his throws. He's seen as a "functional mover" like Ben in his early years, he's mobile enough but not dynamic and most NFL evaluators feel that freakish speed boosts developmental QB's into the earlier mid-rounds, hence his 6th round taking.

McCarthy can be a huge help to Will in reading defenses pre-snap, understanding his keys, reading them correctly, and working through his progressions in order, and work to assemble a playbook he's comfortable with, limiting his progressions and give him check downs early in the season.
 
Badcat said:
McCarthy can be a huge help to Will in reading defenses pre-snap, understanding his keys, reading them correctly, and working through his progressions in order, and work to assemble a playbook he's comfortable with, limiting his progressions and give him check downs early in the season.
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Right. Tomlin had none of this, and it was a huge concern that he might destroy Howard. Howard might never be great, but that was all but guaranteed with Tomlin.
 
Here's a thought to get your underpants wet.

Trey Lance is an UFA. McCarthy brought him to Dallas.

Is there more upside in a 26 year old Trey Lance than a 24 year old Will Howard?
 
Chadman said:
Here's a thought to get your underpants wet.

Trey Lance is an UFA. McCarthy brought him to Dallas.

Is there more upside in a 26 year old Trey Lance than a 24 year old Will Howard?
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Can’t answer that as Will Howard got no actual playing time.

Believe me though,McCarthy will sort that out and hopefully we are pleasantly !!!




Salute the nation
 
Will Howard does not come in a package deal with Jeremiah Smith, Emeka Ebuka and Carnell Tate, along with Treyveon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins at RB.
Look up Howard's numbers at Kansas State. Not exactly Earth shattering. Kyle McCord's 23 season at Ohio State was better than Howard's 24 season.
 
tapeANaspirin2it said:
Will Howard does not come in a package deal with Jeremiah Smith, Emeka Ebuka and Carnell Tate, along with Treyveon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins at RB.
Look up Howard's numbers at Kansas State. Not exactly Earth shattering. Kyle McCord's 23 season at Ohio State was better than Howard's 24 season.
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Well then..
How can we aquire McCord?
 
kyle mccord have 1 year learning from rodgers?

Whatever.

Given the choice right now of Howard or Carson Beck.. Who you rather have?
 
tapeANaspirin2it said:
Will Howard does not come in a package deal with Jeremiah Smith, Emeka Ebuka and Carnell Tate, along with Treyveon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins at RB.
Look up Howard's numbers at Kansas State. Not exactly Earth shattering. Kyle McCord's 23 season at Ohio State was better than Howard's 24 season.
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McCord in 2023
3170 yards 65.8% 24 TDs 6 INTs

Howard in 2024
4010 yards 73% 35 TDs 10 INTs
 
tapeANaspirin2it said:
Will Howard does not come in a package deal with Jeremiah Smith, Emeka Ebuka and Carnell Tate, along with Treyveon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins at RB.
Look up Howard's numbers at Kansas State. Not exactly Earth shattering. Kyle McCord's 23 season at Ohio State was better than Howard's 24 season.
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Look up Fernando Mendoza's numbers at Cal. Not exactly earth shattering. Kurtis Rourke's 24 season at Indiana was better than Mendoza's 25 season.
 
SteelerFan448 said:
McCord in 2023
3170 yards 65.8% 24 TDs 6 INTs

Howard in 2024
4010 yards 73% 35 TDs 10 INTs
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surprised-sorprendido.gif
 
Gruden absolutely loved this kid. In fact, after the Steelers lost in the playoff, Gruden made a b-line for Howard to talk to him! Here's Gruden's QB Class with Howard!


PS Mendoza's numbers and Howards numbers are extremely comparable. I've asked it before: How does one QB get such accolades and a sure fire 1st rounder and another gets overlooked completely given all their numbers and such are even. Howard's college career was actually better than Mendoza's!
 
alancac98 said:
Gruden absolutely loved this kid. In fact, after the Steelers lost in the playoff, Gruden made a b-line for Howard to talk to him! Here's Gruden's QB Class with Howard!


PS Mendoza's numbers and Howards numbers are extremely comparable. I've asked it before: How does one QB get such accolades and a sure fire 1st rounder and another gets overlooked completely given all their numbers and such are even. Howard's college career was actually better than Mendoza's!
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Many are crediting Will Howard’s supporting cast as his success.

My hope is for Will to succeed, with the hiring of MM……. That became way more of a chance.




Salute the nation
 
tapeANaspirin2it said:
Will Howard does not come in a package deal with Jeremiah Smith, Emeka Ebuka and Carnell Tate, along with Treyveon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins at RB.
Look up Howard's numbers at Kansas State. Not exactly Earth shattering. Kyle McCord's 23 season at Ohio State was better than Howard's 24 season.
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numbers are great. And as you say, they can be skewed by things like the talent you have/don't have on the team you're playing for.
Intangibles are great too. Nobody in their right mind is going to say that Kyle McCord was as gritty and showed the same leadership that Howard showed.
 
xjx said:
Mahommes throws sidearm and other unconventional ways Rodgers does it. Allen does it. Arguments can be made about mechanics. Even the top guys have bad mechanics.
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There’s a difference between having bad mechanics and being able to throw off platform

Most the top guys have pretty good mechanics as those lead to consistency which leads to becoming a “top guy”

Not too many greats with **** technique
 
We've got Howard who Rodgers mentored for a year and now McCarthy. Run what you brung. If we have a losing season, I can easily deal with that, and maybe we get a better draft position in '27. I'm just glad it won't be the same 'ol.
 
jiminoh said:
We've got Howard who Rodgers mentored for a year and now McCarthy. Run what you brung. If we have a losing season, I can easily deal with that, and maybe we get a better draft position in '27. I'm just glad it won't be the same 'ol.
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Aaaa-Ron ONLY came to Pittsburgh because the tomlin told him he would start.

I’m pretty sure MM will not give that assurance, but more of an open competition approach.

It would be great if Howard won that competition and Rodgers stayed on as a player Qb coach.



Salute the nation
 
xjx said:
He displays very good pocket awareness. He can hit slants and throws over the middle effectively. He runs well. Some say he is more fleet footed than the highly esteemed Josh Allen. The throws to the back shoulder were very good.

Why is there so much doubt?
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Probably because 70% or more of college QBs wash out of the NFL or end up as mediocre backups. It's a crapshoot at best. You won't know unless you put him out there though.
 
tapeANaspirin2it said:
Howards numbers are for 16 games (including playoffs.) McCord's numbers are for 12 games.
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By the math it looks like Howard would get the edge in every category but interception percentage.. But with more reps it is unclear if that would have stayed the course or increased.
 
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