Ohio State QB Will Howard Dubbed Top Replacement For Jets' Aaron Rodgers

Could Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard land with the New York Jets to replace Aaron Rodgers?

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) celebrates a first down run beside Penn State Nittany Lions linebacker Kobe King (41) during the NCAA football game at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pa. on Monday, Nov. 4, 2024. Ohio State won 20-13. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Will Howard is not considered one of the best quarterbacks in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft class, but the Ohio State Buckeyes star will be selected by some team in April, even if it's in the later rounds.

Could that team be the New York Jets?

The Jets thought they had their situation under center all figured out when they acquired Aaron Rodgers in a blockbuster trade with the Green Bay Packers in 2023, but it hasn't gone according to plan.

Rodgers tore his Achilles four plays into his debut campaign with the Jets, and this year, New York is just 3-7.

It may be time for the Jets to start thinking about the future, and Bleacher Report's Alex Ballentine has nominated Howard as a potential replacement for Rodgers.

"The Aaron Rodgers era in New York might not bring the Jets a Super Bowl. Right now, it's looking like it might not even bring them a playoff berth," Ballentine wrote. "But if it helps them get decent quarterback play while they find and develop a successor then the trade to get Rodgers will have been somewhat successful. Will Howard could be the kind of quarterback worth developing."

Howard has thrown for 2,237 yards, 22 touchdowns and five interceptions while completing 74 percent of his passes this season.

But is Howard's output legitimate, or is it a product of the immense talent around him?

The 23-year-old spent the first four years of his collegiate career at Kansas State, totaling 48 passing touchdowns and 25 picks over 34 appearances.

Howard transferred to Ohio State after last season and now has the benefit of having arguably the best receiving corps in the country at his disposal (not to mention a terrific backfield).

How Howard's game translates on to the NFL level remains to be seen, but there is no doubt that he would be an interesting fit as Rodgers' potential successor in the Big Apple.