Why did Will Howard transfer? A look at Ohio State star’s recruitment journey

Senior transfer Will Howard has been named the starting quarterback for the Ohio State Buckeyes after transferring from the Kansas State Wildcats. But why did he decide to transfer? Let's dive into the reasons.

Why did Will Howard transfer?

Will Howard had a strong first season with the Kansas State Wildcats last season. The starting QB finished 219-of-357 (61.3%) for 2,643 yards with 24 passing touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He ran 81 times for 351 yards (4.3 yards per carry) with nine rushing touchdowns.

Howard had discussed with reporters in January why he decided to transfer. And what he said was very generic compared to what he could have said.

"There was a lot of reasons why, but when I got to the end, it was more, 'Why not?' I just felt like this was an opportunity I couldn't pass up on," Howard said (h/t NBC).

There were two decisions Howard could have made: join the Buckeyes or declare for the 2024 NFL Draft. However, when invited to the Senior Bowl, he was told that scouts wanted to see him play more at a high level.

"I feel like the sesounding thing that I heard from these NFL guys and from people around the league was, 'You need to play more. And we need to see more high-level play.' And I feel like I played a lot of football in my time at K-State, but I only had one year where I was the true starter," Howard said.

So Howard has transferred to the Ohio State Buckeyes to help elevate his potential 2025 NFL draft status. Another solid season with one of the premier college football programs could elevate his status and put him in the national spotlight.

However, having another college football season will likely not change things in terms of his draft status. But this should help him in his professional career.