Feb. 13, 2026, 6:07 a.m. PT

The Los Angeles Rams are in an interesting spot at quarterback, as Matthew Stafford has committed to playing in 2026. However, Stafford might be entering his final season, and the Rams don’t currently have a backup with the potential to succeed him as the starter once he retires.

Even though the Rams don’t need to prioritize taking a quarterback early in the 2026 NFL Draft, they’ll likely consider taking one at some point. If Los Angeles passes on a quarterback in the first couple of rounds, Drew Allar out of Penn State is a prospect to watch as an option in the mid-to-late rounds.

Background/college production

Seeing a drop-off in production is a common theme among this year’s class of quarterbacks, and Allar is featured in that group. After completing 66.5% of his passes for 3,327 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions in 16 games in 2024, Allar had only 1,100 yards, 8 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions in 6 starts in 2025 before suffering an unfortunate season-ending ankle injury.

With Allar having limited action this past season, it’s worth noting that he was 47th in adjusted completion percentage (73.0%) and 16th in yards per attempt (8.4) during the 2024 campaign, per PFF. Allar also flashed some athleticism with 302 rushing yards and 6 rushing touchdowns in 2024.

Expert NFL picks: Exclusive betting insights only at USA TODAY.How he fits the Rams

Of the quarterbacks I’ve done profiles on, Allar does have the ideal size for the quarterback position. Allar possesses a strong arm, but he’ll need time to improve his accuracy and decision-making at the next level.

The Penn State signal-caller makes sense as an option for the Rams due to him not being a first-round pick, and he’d have a chance to develop behind Stafford for at least a year. If Allar’s ankle injury doesn’t have any lingering effects, then his mobility could also be a positive in Sean McVay’s offense once he gets an opportunity to start.

Draft projection

Before the 2025 collegiate season kicked off, Allar was considered a potential first-round selection with a strong showing in his final year at Penn State. An injury and inconsistent performances — primarily against Big Ten opponents — have led to Allar being a late Day 2 or even a Day 3 selection in most mock drafts.

With no fourth-round pick right now, the Rams could hope that Allar falls to the fifth round or later. There is certainly some upside with Allar due to his physical tools, but Los Angeles and other teams can mitigate the risk of taking a volatile quarterback like Allar by getting him in the latter part of the draft.