Ohio State's Will Howard Sends Bold Message to Cam Ward, Shedeur Sanders

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard has sent a strong message to Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders ahead of the NFL Draft.

Sep 21, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) celebrates hfollowing the win against the Marshall Thundering Herd at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images / Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard certainly surprised a whole lot of people this past season, leading Ohio State to a national championship against all odds.

Remember: after transferring over from Kansas State last year, there were some who weren't even sure that Howard would be the Buckeyes' starting quarterback heading into 2024, but he responded by throwing for 4,010 yards, 35 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while setting Ohio State's single-season record for completion percentage (73 percent).

Thanks to Howard's brilliant showing during the College Football Playoff in particular, he has rocketed up NFL Draft boards and could very well be a Day 2 pick later this month. But the 23-year-old actually thinks he should be much more than that.

While Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders are widely viewed as the two best quarterbacks in this upcoming draft class, Howard seems ready to crash the party, essentially telling ESPN's Elizabeth Merrill that he is better than both of them.

"I believe I'm the best quarterback in this class," Howard said. "I think there's unbelievable talent. But if you're going to be a competitor, at the end of the day, you have to have that belief in yourself."

That's definitely a bold proclamation on the part of Howard, who wasn't even on anyone's NFL Draft radar when he began his one-year stay in Columbus.

Howard added that all of the adversity he has experienced throughout his career has molded him and given him a very strong belief in himself, and there is no doubt that that could help propel his success on the professional level.

But does Howard truly have the overall talent to establish himself as the No. 1 signal-caller of the class? It remains to be seen, but he definitely has the right attitude.

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