Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1545007
J U N E / J U L Y 2 0 2 6 5 7 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M T he eight Penn State players who came off the board in this year's NFL Draft have signed with their respective teams and attended their first league workouts May 8-10. The talk of the group fol- lowing those sessions was quarterback Drew Allar. The record-setting Nittany Lion passer, a third-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in April, got his first chance to take the field in black and gold while waiting to see whether Aaron Rodgers will return to the AFC North franchise for his 22nd NFL season. Much of the discourse around Allar has focused on how famed quarterback guru Mike McCarthy, the Steelers' new head coach, might unlock his strengths while ad- dressing weaknesses, such as footwork issues. "To go 35 snaps in a team drill, that's pushing it, but he handled it," McCarthy told reporters. "If your quarterback can't handle it, then you don't get to go to the speed and the tempo and the pre-snap [work] that we were able to do. I thought Drew did a hell of a job. "Everybody teaches footwork a little differently. Everybody has a system of offense and how you tie your quarter- back — particularly in the pass game — to that. There's a lot of work there. We were able to adjust some fundamentals that we think will help him." Allar has taken the coaching and the attention that comes with it in stride. He is fully recovered from the broken left ankle that ended his Penn State career at the midway point of the 2025 season, and he knows that plenty of work lies ahead if he's going to have a chance to reach his professional goals. "There's just a lot of room for me to grow, a lot of football to learn, a lot of basics and nuances of the game," Allar said. "I've learned a lot from a QB funda- mental standpoint already, and from an X's and O's standpoint. I'm really happy and definitely fortunate to be in a great situation here." In other rookie minicamp news, for- mer Penn State lineman Olaivavega Io- ane will be moving from left guard to right guard in the pros. Ioane, who was chosen 14th overall by the Baltimore Ra- vens, did not seem fazed by the move. Given the demeanor for which he was known during his time at Penn State — calm and cool off the field, but a mauler on it — his response to the challenge should come as no surprise. "At Penn State, I played both left guard and right guard, and a little bit of center as well," Ioane told Baltimore- Ravens.com. "Shout out to Phil Traut- wein, my offensive line coach at Penn State. He made sure every day that we were rotating between left guard and right guard just to get used to it. Out here, it's definitely a little bit of work to get used to it again. But there isn't much to it." A familiar face joined Ioane for his first NFL practice. Receiver Kyron Hudson, who spent the 2025 season with the Nit- tany Lions after starting his career at USC, worked out for the Ravens without signing a free-agent con- tract. During their time together in Baltimore, the former PSU teammates couldn't help but reflect on their move from the college level to the pro ranks. "Man, it's unbelievable," Ioane said. "We were just talking after practice yesterday about how it's a crazy feeling knowing that you're wearing the NFL shield on your chest now and playing in the league. We just finished our first practice in the NFL. It's definitely a feeling of being blessed. I wouldn't have pictured myself here a while ago, but I'm just happy that I'm here now." NFL NOTES: After working out for the Ravens, Hudson signed with the Chicago Bears on May 11 following a rookie minicamp tryout. … Two other former Nittany Lions — punter/kicker Gabriel Nwosu and wideout Liam Clif- ford — also received minicamp invita- tions. Nwosu worked out for the Steel- ers, while Clifford was invited to the Indianapolis Colts' camp. … Former Penn State guard Sal Wormley was cut and then re-signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars on May 11. Wormley spent the 2025 season on the Jaguars' practice squad and will start the 2026 campaign there. ■ Drew Allar Impresses At Steelers Minicamp G R E G P I C K E L | G R E G . P I C K E L @ O N 3 . C O M PSU IN THE PROS Chosen by Pittsburgh in the third round in April, Allar showed potential at the team's rookie mini- camp in early May. PHOTO COURTESY PITTSBURGH STEELERS