Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1546159
6 2 S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 6 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M I t's only a few weeks into his first NFL training camp, but former Penn State quarterback Drew Allar is starting to turn heads with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Bloggers were buzzing about Allar's performance in the team's first few practices, and new head coach Mike McCarthy offered some encouraging words of his own. "He's doing what you want from a young player," McCarthy told beat writ- ers in early August. "These are tough practices, because you're not just re- peating concepts. … There hasn't been a day where he hasn't made a throw that makes you say, 'Okay, that's a young man taking a leap.'" Selected in the third round of the draft this past April, Allar headed into the team's camp in Latrobe, Pa., listed fourth on the depth chart behind re- turnees Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph and Will Howard. It was to be expected that he would rank behind Rudolph, who has eight years of experience in the league, and Howard, who is preparing for his second NFL season after being taken in the sixth round of last year's draft. Allar had no reason to be discour- aged by that arrangement. He's a rookie, after all. And he's also proven himself to be a very good practice player. Prior to Allar's sophomore season at Penn State, he was said to be in a "com- petition" with 2022 classmate Beau Pribula for the starting job. We didn't see everything that went into the staff's decision to start Allar in 2023, but there were no indications Pribula ever closed the gap. He arrived more physically de- veloped than Allar, and his mobility was another asset, but the pass-efficiency metrics generally favored the five-star Ohioan. The difference from then to now is that you can actually watch Allar prac- tice in 2026. For what it's worth, the clips that were available online as of early August were against the Steelers' second- and third-team defenses. If you looked closely, you could spot outside linebacker T.J. Watt, defensive tackle Cam Heyward and the rest of the start- ers on the sideline in the background. That's not a knock on Allar; standing out against former college starters in an NFL camp is a real first step. And some aspects of Allar's game looked genuinely different through this small window into camp. His downfield accuracy and confidence appear to have returned. It's a small sample, but Allar's camp highlights show a different quar- terback than the one who short-armed throws to Tyler Warren, Harrison Wal- lace III and Devonte Ross over his final two seasons at Penn State. One missing piece of his game showed up in one of the highlights. Allar never developed a back-shoulder connection with receivers during his time in Happy Valley, and it's fair to wonder whether he was ever encouraged to do so; no other Penn State quarterback in the past decade attempted that throw, either. Many of his camp highlights show him using his big arm to zip throws downfield. Penn State fans might feel a little bit cheated if this really is a new chapter for the Nittany Lions' former starter. But is it a mirage? From a film standpoint, the most frustrating thing about Allar was always knowing this was in him. Early in his career, he made decisions and throws that were NFL-caliber. He read coverage well for a young passer — sometimes too quickly. When comfortable and confi- dent, he looked and played like a first- round pick. Even in his worst games, there were flashes of that player underneath. The 2025 season may have been a rough one, but Allar made good decisions with the football, even if he later made disastrous ones that hindered the Lions' chances of winning. The truth about Allar at Penn State was never black or white. He wasn't a bust, and he wasn't a broken quarter- back — but he also clearly wasn't play- ing to his ceiling. A future NFL starter Drew Allar Makes His Pitch In Preseason Camp T H O M A S F R A N K CA R R | T F R A N K . C A R R @ O N 3 . C O M PSU IN THE PROS Penn State is well represented in the Pittsburgh Steelers' camp this summer. In addition to Allar (far left), the pre- season roster includes (left to right) cornerback Joey Porter Jr., safety Jaquan Brisker and tight end Pat Freiermuth. PHOTO COURTESY PITTSBURGH STEELERS