After securing the NCAAF championship, the Ohio State Buckeyes program begins its gradual restructuring. Will Howard had an outstanding season with his team, earning the opportunity to declare for the upcoming NFL Draft. As a farewell, he shared a heartfelt message for those who stood by him throughout this journey.

Arriving from Kansas State, the talented quarterback was a key contributor in helping Ryan Day’s team reach the National Championship Game and secure the title by defeating Notre Dame. From here on out, it will be a matter of betting on his future and taking the next big step in his career.

Through a heartfelt video posted on his X account @whoward_, the QB expressed his gratitude for his final year in the program, thanking not only the fans but also everyone who contributed to his professional growth.

“I believe that everything in life happens for a reason and that God has a plan for all of us, and I am eternally grateful that my plan led me here to the Ohio State University,” Howard started. “When I first came here to Ohio State, I had dreams of competing for a national championship, developing as a player, and hopefully going on to the NFL. Little did I know, walking away from this experience, I’d get so much more.

“… Thank you, Coach Day, for believing in me when not a lot of others did. Thank you, Coach Kelly, for pushing me to be the best that I can be every single day. I’ve got to give so much credit to those two guys, and Billy Fessler is one of the guys that doesn’t get a lot of credit too. He did an unbelievable job developing me this year.

“Thank you to all the other coaches and staff that helped in my development here at The Ohio State University. Finally, thank you to Buckeye Nation for embracing me from Day 1. Thank you for taking me in and embracing me as one of your own. I will be a Buckeye for life.”

What’s next for Will Howard?

The talented quarterback knew that his goal was eventually to declare for the upcoming NFL Draft. With that in mind, the former Kansas State player revealed to the press how the Buckeyes program helped shape him for this pivotal moment in his career.

“Coming into this year, I didn’t feel like I was in the best place I felt like I could put myself in in the draft,” Will Howard said. “And I felt like I wanted another shot at it. I felt like coming here to Ohio State was the best opportunity I had to better my chances at the next level.”

“I’ve been developed here like I’ve never been developed before. I’ve been pushed; I’ve been coached. I’ve been nit-picked to the point where I’ve gotten so much better here,” the QB also added. “And yea, that’s a credit to coach Day and coach Kelly… all these guys for investing a lot of time into me. We’ll worry about the NFL whenever that comes up, but I’m just so glad we got this one done.”

According to ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr.’s latest NFL Draft Big Board, Howard is projected to be the 6th quarterback selected by an NFL franchise. The top 5 quarterbacks ahead of him? Shedeur Sanders, Cam Ward, Jaxson Dart, Jalen Milroe, and Kyle McCord.