Penn State has been on the brink of glory several times in the James Franklin era. The Nittany Lions are consistent contenders; however, they fall just short in the biggest spots. 2025 may be Franklin’s best team to date, thanks in large part to Drew Allar returning for his senior year. Many expected Allar to declare for the 2025 NFL Draft, and he may have been a first-round pick. Penn State has lofty expectations this season, including winning the Big Ten for the first time since 2016. Allar’s performance this upcoming season is a critical factor for a program looking to break through finally. The traits of a great signal-caller are there, but can Allar put it all together and be the top quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft?
2026 NFL Draft: Drew Allar Player Profile
Background
Allar was a five-star recruit coming out of Medina(Ohio) and the top-ranked quarterback in the Class of 2022. He spent his freshman season backing up veteran Sean Clifford but saw his fair share of game action. Allar completed 35 of 60 pass attempts for 344 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions. In 2023, he took over as the starter and showed flashes of what made him such a highly rated prospect. He completed 59.9% of his passes for 2,631 yards, 25 touchdowns, and just two picks.
The promise shown in 2023 was built upon in 2024, as Allar’s completion percentage skyrocketed to 66.5%. The improvement in accuracy led to Allar throwing for 3,327 yards, 24 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He also had his most productive season as a runner, picking up 302 yards and six touchdowns on the ground. Penn State reached the Big Ten Championship and made its first playoff appearance. The Nittany Lions bested SMU and Boise State before losing in gut-wrenching fashion to Notre Dame in the semifinal.
Strengths
Jan 9, 2025; Miami, FL, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Drew Allar (15) and tight end Tyler Warren (44) celebrate a play in the first half against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish t Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Allar has the prototypical size teams are looking for with their quarterbacks, measuring at 6-foot-5 and 235 pounds. His arm strength is as good as any in this class, which he uses to generate velocity and fit passes into tight windows. Allar also shows the ability to level his throws and win with touch just as much as velocity. He excels at avoiding negative plays, throwing just 10 interceptions in his college career.
His size makes him incredibly difficult for defenders to bring down, which he uses to his advantage as a scrambler. Allar’s raw arm talent lets him get zip on passes even when throwing off-platform. He can hit passes from various arm angles, which is vital for getting clean passes off with defenders in his face. Accuracy was a major weak spot earlier in his career, but his uptick in completion percentage shows notable development in that part of his game.
Weaknesses
All the physical tools are more than evident; however, there’s still room to grow before playing on Sundays. While his accuracy has gotten a lot better, he still misses layup throws somewhat often. This is tied to his mechanics and footwork, which are the most significant areas of improvement heading into his final college season. There are times he throws off his back foot, which leads to inconsistent ball placement. Allar is undoubtedly a capable runner, but he doesn’t have the speed to straight-up outrun linebackers and defensive backs at the next level.
Overview
Allar is one of the top quarterback prospects in a loaded 2026 class. His combination of size and arm talent will stand out to NFL general managers. He isn’t a true dual-threat player, but he can use his physicality to stay upright in the pocket and power through defenders when he decides to run. Allar has taken care of the ball throughout his time in State College and excels as an intermediate passer. There are still concerns regarding his mechanics and footwork, but these are fixable problems. The leap in accuracy last season is reassuring, and he hasn’t even reached his full potential as a pure thrower yet.
A big test for Allar will be improving despite losing Tyler Warren to the NFL. He will have plenty of help in the run game, with Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen both returning. Allar’s physical playing style and top-end arm strength draw a lot of similarities to Ben Roethlisberger. If Allar continues his upward trajectory, then he just might be the first pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Main Image: Matthew O’Haren – Imagn Images