Two of college football’s most high-profile quarterbacks are Ohio State’s Will Howard and Colorado Buffaloes’ passer Shedeur Sanders. Both have featured in the headlines as the college football season drew to a close, particularly in numerous NFL Draft profiles and stories. How do the two compare?
Shedeur Sanders vs Will Howard: Comparing the Colorado Star to the National Champion from Ohio
Shedeur Sanders
Sanders has rarely been out of the headlines, from his impressive early career with Jackson State, his transfer to the University of Colorado, to making NFL Draft headlines for reasons he will be determined to put behind him.
Winner of the 2024 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, Colorado’s quarterback completed over 75% of his passes, throwing 37 touchdowns for 4,134 yards. He led the Buffaloes to a 9-4 season and a whisker away from a place in the College Football Playoff. His toughness is without question, often escaping extreme defensive pressure thanks to a porous offensive line and taking unnecessary punishment.
He has helped inject some excitement into a sluggish Buffaloes program with his ability to process pass options quickly, throw with layered touch, and launch downfield passes with his huge arm strength. His weaknesses come from his lack of ability to extend plays when he does get into trouble. He was sacked 42 times in 2024.
Undoubtedly talented, NFL teams seem nervous about his ability to become a top-tier quarterback and about the huge media scrutiny that seems to follow him everywhere. This may prevent him from becoming a starter immediately, but his fiercely competitive streak suggests that if he lands in the right situation, he could become an impact backup with scope to win a starting role.
Will Howard
Like Sanders, Howard’s career leapt forward when he moved schools, landing with Ohio State as a transfer from Kansas State. His impact was immediate, gaining the trust of the locker room where his leadership was a key factor in Ohio State winning the national championship. Howard was the conductor orchestrating the Buckeyes’ explosive offense, and his profile rose the further he led Ohio State through the College Football Playoff.
The Buckeyes’ quarterback threw 35 touchdowns and 4,010 yards in his impressive year in Columbus. Ohio State’s run in the College Football Playoff, where they were under enormous pressure after their fourth consecutive loss to Michigan, saw Howard throw for eight touchdowns and 1,150 yards in four games.
Howard is bigger than Sanders at 6’4″ and 235 lbs and arguably runs more efficiently, although he enjoyed the protection of a physical Buckeyes’ offensive line. He was sacked just 14 times last season. Sanders, by comparison, has a bigger arm and has a slightly higher pass completion rate than Howard, who still completed 73.1% of his passes.
The Ohio State quarterback can be seen as twitchy in the pocket, where Sanders processes his options more efficiently.
KEEP READING: When Will Shedeur Sanders Get Drafted? 5 Potential Landing Spots for the Sliding Colorado QB
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