Shedeur Sanders defends Will Howard’s up-and-down NFL Combine performance

Shedeur Sanders did not participate in any workouts at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine, but he was on hand to watch his fellow quarterbacks perform — and to have their back.

After an up-and-down combine performance from Will Howard, Sanders defended the quarterback who led Ohio State to the first national championship of the 12-team College Football Playoff era.

Howard, who was greeted with both cheers and boos at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, missed on several deep throws during the passing drills Saturday.

He also put the ball on the money with other throws.

“I’m my own biggest critic, so I feel like there were some things I could clean up,” Howard told NFL Network. “Overall, I think I showed that I can spin the ball with the best. And, you know, I felt good about it. And I think my footwork was pretty solid.”

As Sanders mentioned, Howard was not throwing to his usual receivers. Howard’s top target in 2024 was Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State’s all-time career receptions leader. Egbuka, a potential first-round pick, opted out of the drills at the combine.

Freshman sensation Jeremiah Smith led the Buckeyes in receiving yards (1,315) and touchdown catches (15) on his way to a record-setting campaign. Smith, obviously, will not be eligible to enter the draft for two more years.

Howard, who transferred to Ohio State last year, benefited from having high-caliber receivers in his one season as the starter. But he also made big-time throws, such as the title-sealing play to Smith in the national championship game, a 56-yard bomb on third-and-11 that hit his receiver in perfect stride.

That same night, Howard completed a College Football Playoff Championship record of 13 consecutive passes and was named the MVP with his strong overall outing (17-of-21 passing for 231 yards, two touchdowns, zero interceptions).

It wasn’t just what Howard did after the ball was snapped that mattered. As Ohio State coach Ryan Day told FOX Sports’ lead college football game analyst Joel Klatt, “We had such a great leader in Will. He was looking those guys in the eye, and they were breaking the huddle, and they believed in him when they huddle.”

Howard played his best football of the season during the Buckeyes’ playoff run. In four games, he completed 75.2 percent of his passes for 1,150 yards, eight touchdowns and two interceptions while registering a 184.4 passer rating.

“You turn on the film in the playoffs, man, and it’s really good,” Klatt said. “He’s got great command of what’s going on.”

Jalen Milroe & Will Howard in Joel Klatt’s Top 5 QB’s in the 2025 NFL Draft | Joel Klatt Show

Klatt ranked Howard as his No. 5 quarterback in this draft class.

Howard isn’t expected to be a top pick. Sanders, along with Miami product Cam Ward, will likely be one of the first two quarterbacks drafted. Other passers, such as Ole Miss QB Jaxson Dart and Texas product Quinn Ewers, improved their draft stock with promising showings at the combine.

But Howard will get drafted. His tape, meetings with teams and upcoming pro day are other ways he can put himself on the radar of a franchise looking for depth at its quarterback position.

“I think he’ll get more positive reviews as we get closer to the draft as he played his best football when it mattered most,” Klatt added.

The combine is not the be-all and end-all of the draft process. Otherwise, a prospect like Sanders would have participated alongside his fellow quarterbacks rather than just defending them after.

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