The Minnesota Vikings are firmly committed to J.J. McCarthy as their starting quarterback, putting an end to any speculation about re-signing Sam Darnold or bringing in Aaron Rodgers. After trading up to select McCarthy in the first round of last year’s NFL Draft, the Vikings have made it clear they’re betting on him for the future.
Along with McCarthy, Minnesota also selected outside linebacker Dallas Turner in the first round through trades that left the team with only four picks in the 2025 NFL Draft. One of those picks might be used to find a solid backup for McCarthy.
On Wednesday, ESPN NFL writer Ben Solak examined the best fits for 12 rookie quarterbacks in the upcoming draft, suggesting the Vikings might pick Ohio State’s Will Howard in the sixth round. While ideally the Vikings would draft a QB earlier, Solak sees Howard as a solid choice in the sixth round. Howard, with 43 starts over four years at Kansas State and a national title-winning season with Ohio State, brings experience and poise to the table.
Solak highlights Howard’s mobility and his ability to work through progressions in the pocket, avoiding the “one-read-and-scramble” mentality. He’s tough and can take a hit, with a solid understanding of how to distribute the ball.
Will Howard
However, Solak also notes Howard has some areas to improve, particularly with reading defenses quickly, which could be a challenge at the NFL level. He’ll need a system like the one run by Kevin O’Connell, which supports quarterbacks by reducing high processing demands. At Ohio State, Howard thrived with elite receivers like Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka, and in Minnesota, he could replicate that success with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison.
If Howard develops, Solak compares his potential to that of Jacoby Brissett, with Howard possibly serving as McCarthy’s backup and filling a key role in the Vikings’ QB depth chart. In 2024, Howard led the Big Ten in passing yards (4,010), touchdowns (35), and completion percentage (73%) on his way to a national championship.
Since 2020, the Vikings have drafted two quarterbacks, Kellen Mond from Texas A&M and Nate Stanley from Iowa, but neither is currently in the NFL, with Mond playing for the San Antonio Brahmas in the UFL and Stanley out of football entirely. Howard could be a late-round gem to add much-needed depth behind McCarthy.
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