From now until the 2026 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top 10 picks, all the way to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Penn State quarterback, Drew Allar.
#15 DREW ALLAR/ QB, PENN STATE (SENIOR) – 6’5, 235 pounds.
Measurements
The Good
— Very good size and arm strength
— Works through full field progressions; looks off the safety
— High football IQ
— Good pocket mobility and ball security in the pocket
— Effortless thrower, able to change arm angles
— Keeps eyes downfield under pressure
— Solid accuracy on the move
— Solid touch and accuracy on deep ball
— Solid agility to create on scrambles
— Good decisions on read options
The Bad
— Footwork in the pocket; getting feet set
— Doesn’t always stride into throws or steps slightly outside rather than toward target
— Throws off back foot, fading backward on deep throws
— Will decide where to throw before eyes get to target that is covered
— Throws some YOLO balls
— Misses some layups, aims the throw; off target on open zone throws
— Red zone fade accuracy deep or wide
— Processing could be a little faster
Stats
— 45 games/35 starts, 3-year starter
— Career: 633 completions, 1,002 attempts, 63.2 Comp %, 7,402 yards, 61 TD, 13 INT
— 224 rushes, 732 yards, 3.3 ypc, 12 TD; 3 receptions 15 yards
— 2025: 6 games, 103 completions, 159 attempts, 1,100 yards, 8 TD, 3, INT
— 2025: 36 carries, 172 yards, 4.8 ypc, 1 TD; 1 reception, 5 yards
— FBS record 311 pass attempts without interception to begin his career
— Ranks first at Penn State in completion percentage and interception percentage
— 2023 became second QB to throw over 25 touchdowns and two or fewer interceptions in a season.
— 2023, 2024 All-Big Ten honorable mention
Injury History
— 2025: broke left ankle in October; missed rest of season
Background
— Turns 22 in March of 2026
— Led Medina High School to state regional final as junior and senior
— Accepted invitation to play in 2022 Adidas All-American Bowl
— 2021 Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association Mr. Football and state Offensive Player of the Year
— Rated as a 5-star prospect by 247Sports and On3, 4-star by ESPN, Rivals
— Rated as the top QB prospect in the country by 247Sports and On3
— Also played basketball and baseball at Medina
— Majoring in recreation, park and tourism management
— Father, Kevin, was a tight end at Michigan State
Tape Breakdown
Drew Allar is a three-year starter at Penn State. He had his senior season in 2025 cut short by a broken left ankle which required surgery. He has very good height and weight with very good arm strength. With good athleticism and a high football IQ he led a pro-style offense that included play action and read options where he worked primarily in shotgun/pistol but has worked under center.
Post-snap he consistently made full field reads working through each of his receivers and showed the ability to look off the safety. His keeps his eyes up in the pocket, even under pressure, and moves well to work withing the pocket to create space. He displays good ball security when avoiding pass rushers. Adept at changing his arm angle when needed to get the ball out.
Working through his progressions. Starting on the left he works back to his fourth receiver on this play.
Here he is working through the pocket to make some throws.
Some examples of him putting zip on the ball.
This is a pair of impressive throws. One while being pulled by a defender and the second, a cross-body throw, while off balance from slipping in his pass set.
On short throws, he was effective in the flat and curl areas or dumping off to the running back. He is solid in his decision making and has the above average arm strength to hit the mid-level throws between defenders. His best throws are those between the numbers including dig and seam routes. On deep balls, he throws an effortless ball 50 yards with ease with solid touch and placement. On the move, his accuracy is solid but not as consistent as you would like to see. He made some quality throws on the move and completely missed others. He was better in 2025 on throws outside the pocket.
A few throws with touch down the field.
As a runner, he has marginal quickness and solid agility, and he will get what is there. On scrambles, he works up through the pocket to find the running areas to get yards. He was used on read option plays and made good decisions on when to keep the ball.
With his footwork, he showed marked improvement in 2025 however he is inconsistent, and this leads to throwing off balance and hurting his accuracy. He will throw flatfooted without striding or make a short step to the outside rather than toward the target. Occasionally, while working through his progressions, he will make the decision to throw before getting eyes on the target. Essentially, throwing to covered receivers. That could be trust in his receivers or questionable decision making.
On the easy throws, he has tendency to aim or dart the throw rather than his normal throw causing him to miss some layups. His accuracy on open throws against zone needs to improve. Needs to put the ball on the receiver rather than low or behind. The touch on fades is marginal often too deep or wide of the receiver. In 2024, he threw often off his back foot on downfield throws.
Here are a few easy throws that are off target or complete misses.
Conclusion
Overall, Allar is of very good size and arm strength with a high football IQ. He worked in a pro-style offense making full field reads, keeping his eyes up in the pocket with good pocket mobility and displaying good ball security. He was effective in the short and intermediate areas and throws and effortless deep ball. As a runner he will make good decisions and get the yards that are available.
Areas to improve include becoming more consistent with his footwork including his balance, being flatfooted and striding into his throw. This will all help his accuracy as well. Quickening his decision making and improving on the easy throws will be beneficial as well.
After watching games in 2024 and 2025 you can see the strides Allar was making in his fundamentals this past season. The ankle injury cut short that development, but his accuracy and footwork were better but there is still room to improve. He has what you can’t teach, the size and arm strength. The areas that he needs to improve are coachable.
Pittsburgh is entering year five of the post Roethlisberger process. They have hired Mike McCarthy at least in part to his work with quarterbacks. Will Howard is in the mix for 2027 and getting a chance to see what he can do is important. Could they add another young quarterback in this draft with all the draft capital they have? They need to continue taking shots at QB until they find the future.
In a year when the collegiate quarterback options in the draft are not as desirable as some might hope, Allar has a chance to go early. There will be teams that want a big bodied, big-armed QB to mold. I can see him as the second quarterback taken in this draft. I’ve seen him compared to Joe Flacco and that is a good comparison. For a comp, I’ll give you another name that is physically similar to that Allar and that is Byron Leftwich.
NFL Projection: Day Two
Steelers Depot Grade: 8.2 MED (Long-time Starter)
Grade Range: 7.4 – 8.8
Games Watched: 2024 – Vs Ohio State, Vs Oregon (Big Ten Championship); 2025 – Vs Northwestern, At UCLA, Vs Oregon