Who says the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry only applies to college football? The 2025 NFL Draft is set to get started in just over a month's time and one quarterback prospect is already taking heat for comparisons to a Wolverine selected in 2024.
Will Howard, the national champion signal caller for the Buckeyes, is projected to be a day 3 pick (No. 5 ranked QB prospect according to ESPN's Mel Kiper) but his online fans are swarming to his defense and taking shots at No. 10 overall pick in 2024, JJ McCarthy.
Will Howard was better than JJ McCarthy in college.
— College Football Nerds (@CFBNerds) March 20, 2025
Final season he had
- better completion %
- higher YPA
- 1,100 more yards (in only 1 more game)
- higher QB rating
Against a tougher schedule. https://t.co/02IYeU9bCw
Will Howard is unequivocally a more successful QB than JJ McCarthy pic.twitter.com/6VkE3vZ51r
— Official Ohio State DG (@DylanEveryday) January 21, 2025
The comparisons re-sparked the Ohio State vs. Michigan rivalry online, with facts and figures being tossed around and shouting matches materializing not even a full two months since the 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship Game was played.
Will Howard vs. J.J. McCarthy: Who was the better QB prospect?
If we're going to debate this topic, might as well weigh in and evaluate the relevant facts. Here's a snapshot of either player's college careers.
Stat | Will Howard (2020-24) | J.J. McCarthy (2021-23) |
|---|---|---|
W-L | 33-16 (starts + appearances) | 27-3 |
Passing yards | 9,796 | 6,226 |
Passing TDs | 83 | 49 |
Completion percentage | 63.8 (1,202 attempts) | 67.6 (713 attempts) |
Average rating | 137.8 | 158.2 |
Rushing yards | 1,147 (26 TDs) | 632 (10 TDs) |
Wins vs. Top 25 | 9 | 9 |
There are obviously some more complicated layers to this comparison but that's what the NFL scouts are going to have to figure out through interviews, tape study and NFL Combine results.
Howard, 23, clearly had more time to play despite only being one year older than McCarthy (22). But that actually works in projected Minnesota Vikings starter's favor. His completion percentage and win-loss record suggests he was more efficient, especially considering he took Michigan on an undefeated national title run in 2023.
Howard, however, played in two tough conferences and emerged as a dual threat early in his career. His rushing prowess makes him a dangerous weapon (that's not to discount McCarthy's higher yards-per-rush average though).
Some fans are comparing Will Howard and JJ McCarthy.
— Jake B 〽️ (@MichFootballBEL) February 1, 2025
You have to give credit to both. Both were championship QBs and were exactly what their team needed. Both showed grit, toughness, and leadership. Both seem like great kids.
Howard was a great system QB and he was perfect for… pic.twitter.com/lk9Sp0eWem
It's difficult to truly compare the two given the massively different systems they played in but the edge seems to go to McCarthy based on past scout evaluations and the value Minnesota put in him by selecting him so high last year. Unless Howard sees a similar stock jump in the next month, the Buckeyes appear to be taking a fifth straight L to Wolverines fans.