Steelers rookie quarterback Will Howard is already doing what other rookies won't to get ahead on the depth chart in Pittsburgh
Will Howard fell to the sixth round of the NFL Draft and subsequently, the Pittsburgh Steelers because he wasn't a tantalizing prospect. Doesn't have the biggest arm, isn't the fastest guy, you know, those kinds of things. What Howard does possess, however, are elite intangibles of leadership, mental makeup, and work ethic, all of which […]
Will Howard fell to the sixth round of the NFL Draft and subsequently, the Pittsburgh Steelers because he wasn't a tantalizing prospect.
Doesn't have the biggest arm, isn't the fastest guy, you know, those kinds of things.
What Howard does possess, however, are elite intangibles of leadership, mental makeup, and work ethic, all of which are already on display in Pittsburgh.
Will Howard asks Steelers coaches for playbook early
“On Sunday, [Will] Howard reached out to Steelers quarterbacks coach Tom Arth for plays, according to his mother, much to the delight of the Steelers coaching staff,” Devin Jackson of the Philadelphia Inquirer wrote. ”[Arth] wrote [Howard] back and said, ‘Hey, we were going to give you the weekend off, but this is why we drafted you, because it’s the kind of worker you are.'"
Will Howard is at best, the quarterback two on the depth chart, if not number three, seeing as Skylar Thompson is a veteran who has played in the postseason. When Aaron Rodgers or whoever else joins the stable before camp, Howard may be as low as fourth on the depth chart…for now.
Let's be clear, while he may not be the most physically gifted, Howard is a sturdy dual-threat athlete with plus pocket mobility, toughness and quarterback instincts. The best case scenario is that the Steelers found the next Tom Brady. A sixth-round, overlooked BIG 10 quarterback who doesn't blow anyone away on first look.
And Will Howard even won a natty, something Brady didn't.
But the Brady projection is very unlikely. So is the worst case scenario however. Which is Howard fizzling out of the league. So what is his NFL future, or at least with the Steelers, look like? No one truly knows, but my guess is Charlie Batch.
You know, just one of the best backups in the league who played for eight years in Pittsburgh. That is Will Howard. He is a more athletic Mason Rudolph. The things you watch and appreciate about his game, including obvious high football intelligence, dual-threat ability, and textbook fundamentals. He's also incredibly tough, both mentally and physically. He can lead a locker room.
All of that, coupled with starting his Steelers tenure off on a great note is why Howard will be in Pittsburgh for a long time.
