Welcome the first of many scouting reports to prep you for the 2026 NFL Draft. I suggest saving these links, bookmarking them, etc., throughout this process. I will be updating as many as I can from the time I publish these to the time they take part in the Scouting Combine and pro days.
The Steelers need to address quarterback, one way or another. Just as it was in 2025, this isn't the strongest class of quarterbacks, but that doesn't mean the team shouldn't take a chance at some point in the draft. Drew Allar was once thought to be a slam-dunk first-rounder, but coming off a disappointing start to his 2025 season and having it end early due to a broken ankle, he's now a much more risky option for potentially Day 2 of the draft.
DREW ALLAR
• Position: Quarterback • College: Penn State (2022-25) • Class: Senior • Age: 21 (turns 22 on March 8) • Height: 6-5 • Weight: 235 • Hand: N/A • 40-yard dash: N/A • PFF Big Board: No. 120 • Games watched: vs. Nevada, vs. Villanova, vs. Oregon, at UCLA
NFL comparison: Josh Allen
STATS
OVERVIEW
Allar was a five-star recruit out of Medina Senior High School in Medina, Ohio, one of the most coveted in the country. He immediately received a ton of hype for his prototypical size and cannon arm, and then his initial development at Penn State only had the hype go through the roof.
After becoming a starter in his sophomore season in which he flashed serious potential, Allar took a huge step forward as a junior. He made significant progress in how quickly he processed the game, but also became a more accurate passer, all while making several unreal off-platform throws that showed NFL teams his tantalizing arm talent. His play also elevated the Nittany Lions, leading them to the semifinal of the College Football Playoff, in which they were defeated by Notre Dame. Allar threw a late interception in the game, drawing criticism that he shrinks in big games.
Despite having the potential of being a first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Allar opted to stay at Penn State for his senior season. However, the move backfired in just about every way possible. Allar's play and production regressed from a promising performance in 2024, then his season was ended in the sixth game of the year when he broke his left ankle in a loss to Northwestern.
Allar is a polarizing prospect. On one hand, he has ideal size for the position at 6-5, 235 pounds. He has a cannon for an arm that not only helps him drive the football down the field with minimal effort, but his overall arm talent allowed him to make some jaw-dropping throws, like this one in the 2024 Big Ten Championship against Oregon:
Then, add in the fact that Allar is very mobile for a quarterback of his size. He's not quite a true dual-threat quarterback, but can escape the pocket and either make throws on the run or tuck the ball and gain back-breaking yards on the ground. Penn State even had him running some designed runs, including between the tackles. That's why Josh Allen is my NFL comparison. Not because I believe Allar is a future NFL MVP, but because of his size, arm and type of mobility.
However, Allar is not a finished product. While he took steps forward as a junior in how quickly he got through his reads, there's still a long way to go in that regard. It's a requirement at the NFL level to make reads and throws from the pocket, known as playing within structure. When immature quarterbacks know they can just escape and extend, they tend to rely on that too often. Allar got away with that at Penn State far more often than he would at the NFL level. Allar must grow in how he processes the game.
Perhaps the bigger knock on Allar is his very inconsistent mechanics. From scouts I've spoken with on Allar, even going back to last year's draft cycle, the way it's best been described to me is his upper body and lower body are too often disjointed. That's led to some terrible misses throwing from his base, leading to some head-scratching whiffs on layup throws.
Nevertheless, Allar's junior season and unteachable tools (frame, arm, etc.) are going to have teams on alert during this draft cycle. Allar could also do quite a bit to boost his draft stock at the Scouting Combine and at Penn State's pro day. While he's no longer a surefire first-round pick anymore, he could be worth a Day 2 selection if there's a team that's willing -- and able -- to work with him, clean up his mechanics and turn him into the NFL passer he's capable of being.
HIGHLIGHTS
PFF GRADES
• Overall grade: 72.4 (146th of 315 QB) • Passing grade: 66.1 • Intermediate grade: 84.7 • Deep grade: 63.6 • No pressure grade: 68.5 • Pressure grade: 56.0
STRENGTHS
• Possesses prototypical size, frame sought after by NFL teams.
• Borderline elite arm talent, allowing him to effortlessly drive the ball downfield and into tight windows.
• Capable of using arm talent to make sensational off-platform throws both outside the pocket and under duress.
• Has a good feel for the system in which he plays. Can make pre-snap reads and processes relatively quickly when those reads are correct.
• Has experience playing in a pro-style offense that require both full and half-field reads.
• Doesn't often put the ball in harm's way, whether it be through the air or protecting it from pass rushers while in the pocket.
• Easily extends plays and looks to create through the air once outside the pocket, giving his receivers a chance to get open out of structure.
• Not a true dual-threat quarterback, but can pick up necessary chunks with his legs. Can even run quarterback-designed runs, including concepts that attack between the tackles. Not easy to bring to the ground once he gets moving downhill, either.
• Possesses a high competitive drive that shows up consistently, whether it be through making difficult throws at the last second or fighting for extra yards when he tucks and runs.
WEAKNESSES
• Upper-body and lower-body mechanics are disjointed far too often. Leads to inconsistent accuracy and missed throws on some of the most routine throws.
• Base becomes too narrow too often when given time in the pocket. Also leads to inaccurate throws.
• Doesn't throw with anticipation often enough. While he tends to be better in this regard when targeting in-breaking routes, he double-clutches and is late too often on throws to targets beyond his first read.
• Accuracy also diminishes when he's forced to throw to targets beyond his first read.
• Can rely too much on his size, athleticism and arm to escape/extend. Needs to learn how to fight another down.
• Performance regressed after promising junior season. Needs to prove there is no cause for concern.
• Coming off a broken left ankle. Needs to show at the Combine and Penn State pro day that he's fully recovered and hasn't inhibited his mobility or footwork.
THE ASYLUM
NFL Draft scouting: Drew Allar
Welcome the first of many scouting reports to prep you for the 2026 NFL Draft. I suggest saving these links, bookmarking them, etc., throughout this process. I will be updating as many as I can from the time I publish these to the time they take part in the Scouting Combine and pro days.
The Steelers need to address quarterback, one way or another. Just as it was in 2025, this isn't the strongest class of quarterbacks, but that doesn't mean the team shouldn't take a chance at some point in the draft. Drew Allar was once thought to be a slam-dunk first-rounder, but coming off a disappointing start to his 2025 season and having it end early due to a broken ankle, he's now a much more risky option for potentially Day 2 of the draft.
DREW ALLAR
• Position: Quarterback
• College: Penn State (2022-25)
• Class: Senior
• Age: 21 (turns 22 on March 8)
• Height: 6-5
• Weight: 235
• Hand: N/A
• 40-yard dash: N/A
• PFF Big Board: No. 120
• Games watched: vs. Nevada, vs. Villanova, vs. Oregon, at UCLA
NFL comparison: Josh Allen
STATS
OVERVIEW
Allar was a five-star recruit out of Medina Senior High School in Medina, Ohio, one of the most coveted in the country. He immediately received a ton of hype for his prototypical size and cannon arm, and then his initial development at Penn State only had the hype go through the roof.
After becoming a starter in his sophomore season in which he flashed serious potential, Allar took a huge step forward as a junior. He made significant progress in how quickly he processed the game, but also became a more accurate passer, all while making several unreal off-platform throws that showed NFL teams his tantalizing arm talent. His play also elevated the Nittany Lions, leading them to the semifinal of the College Football Playoff, in which they were defeated by Notre Dame. Allar threw a late interception in the game, drawing criticism that he shrinks in big games.
Despite having the potential of being a first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Allar opted to stay at Penn State for his senior season. However, the move backfired in just about every way possible. Allar's play and production regressed from a promising performance in 2024, then his season was ended in the sixth game of the year when he broke his left ankle in a loss to Northwestern.
Allar is a polarizing prospect. On one hand, he has ideal size for the position at 6-5, 235 pounds. He has a cannon for an arm that not only helps him drive the football down the field with minimal effort, but his overall arm talent allowed him to make some jaw-dropping throws, like this one in the 2024 Big Ten Championship against Oregon:
Then, add in the fact that Allar is very mobile for a quarterback of his size. He's not quite a true dual-threat quarterback, but can escape the pocket and either make throws on the run or tuck the ball and gain back-breaking yards on the ground. Penn State even had him running some designed runs, including between the tackles. That's why Josh Allen is my NFL comparison. Not because I believe Allar is a future NFL MVP, but because of his size, arm and type of mobility.
However, Allar is not a finished product. While he took steps forward as a junior in how quickly he got through his reads, there's still a long way to go in that regard. It's a requirement at the NFL level to make reads and throws from the pocket, known as playing within structure. When immature quarterbacks know they can just escape and extend, they tend to rely on that too often. Allar got away with that at Penn State far more often than he would at the NFL level. Allar must grow in how he processes the game.
Perhaps the bigger knock on Allar is his very inconsistent mechanics. From scouts I've spoken with on Allar, even going back to last year's draft cycle, the way it's best been described to me is his upper body and lower body are too often disjointed. That's led to some terrible misses throwing from his base, leading to some head-scratching whiffs on layup throws.
Nevertheless, Allar's junior season and unteachable tools (frame, arm, etc.) are going to have teams on alert during this draft cycle. Allar could also do quite a bit to boost his draft stock at the Scouting Combine and at Penn State's pro day. While he's no longer a surefire first-round pick anymore, he could be worth a Day 2 selection if there's a team that's willing -- and able -- to work with him, clean up his mechanics and turn him into the NFL passer he's capable of being.
HIGHLIGHTS
PFF GRADES
• Overall grade: 72.4 (146th of 315 QB)
• Passing grade: 66.1
• Intermediate grade: 84.7
• Deep grade: 63.6
• No pressure grade: 68.5
• Pressure grade: 56.0
STRENGTHS
• Possesses prototypical size, frame sought after by NFL teams.
• Borderline elite arm talent, allowing him to effortlessly drive the ball downfield and into tight windows.
• Capable of using arm talent to make sensational off-platform throws both outside the pocket and under duress.
• Has a good feel for the system in which he plays. Can make pre-snap reads and processes relatively quickly when those reads are correct.
• Has experience playing in a pro-style offense that require both full and half-field reads.
• Doesn't often put the ball in harm's way, whether it be through the air or protecting it from pass rushers while in the pocket.
• Easily extends plays and looks to create through the air once outside the pocket, giving his receivers a chance to get open out of structure.
• Not a true dual-threat quarterback, but can pick up necessary chunks with his legs. Can even run quarterback-designed runs, including concepts that attack between the tackles. Not easy to bring to the ground once he gets moving downhill, either.
• Possesses a high competitive drive that shows up consistently, whether it be through making difficult throws at the last second or fighting for extra yards when he tucks and runs.
WEAKNESSES
• Upper-body and lower-body mechanics are disjointed far too often. Leads to inconsistent accuracy and missed throws on some of the most routine throws.
• Base becomes too narrow too often when given time in the pocket. Also leads to inaccurate throws.
• Doesn't throw with anticipation often enough. While he tends to be better in this regard when targeting in-breaking routes, he double-clutches and is late too often on throws to targets beyond his first read.
• Accuracy also diminishes when he's forced to throw to targets beyond his first read.
• Can rely too much on his size, athleticism and arm to escape/extend. Needs to learn how to fight another down.
• Performance regressed after promising junior season. Needs to prove there is no cause for concern.
• Coming off a broken left ankle. Needs to show at the Combine and Penn State pro day that he's fully recovered and hasn't inhibited his mobility or footwork.
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