The 2025 NFL draft is in the books, and while rookies have yet to fully integrate with their new teams, former Super Bowl-winning head coach and current Barstool Sports personality Jon Gruden already believes he knows who the biggest “sleeper” quarterback from this year’s class is.
Five quarterbacks were selected before Colorado star Shedeur Sanders finally came off the board in the fifth round to the Cleveland Browns. But in Gruden’s eyes, the biggest steal at the position was taken even later.
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He pointed to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ selection of former Kansas State and Ohio State quarterback Will Howard in the sixth round with the No. 185 overall pick as the true value pick of the draft.
Gruden, speaking Monday at the 2025 Senior Bowl Hall of Fame induction ceremony, praised Howard when asked about this year’s quarterback class. He had previously spotlighted Howard on his “QB Class” segment for Barstool Sports earlier this spring.
“When you look at the quarterbacks this year—and I’ll go on record here—the Pittsburgh Steelers got a steal in Will Howard. That guy’s a stud,” Gruden said.
“I made the comparison to Josh Allen. I said he’s 6-foot-4, 236 \[pounds], and he can run the direct power plays, he can run the zone reads. He won big at Kansas State, then he won it all at Ohio State. And he can play in cold weather—which you’ve gotta do if you want to beat Buffalo or Kansas City on the road.”
Howard spent four seasons at Kansas State after arriving as a 3-star recruit. He then transferred to Ohio State for his final year of eligibility and completely transformed the trajectory of his football career, leading the Buckeyes to a national championship.
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That title run included an unforgettable stretch through the College Football Playoff, where Ohio State notched victories over Tennessee, Oregon, Texas, and Notre Dame.
Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard during CFP National Championship Champions press conference at The Westin Peachtree Plaza, Savannah Ballroom.© Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Now, Howard joins a Steelers quarterback room that currently includes only Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson. However, there’s growing speculation that Pittsburgh is still in the market for another quarterback—most notably, future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers.
Related: Jon Gruden Doesn’t Hesitate Naming Rookie QB He ‘Loves’ After 2025 NFL Draft