Drew Allar was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 76th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Despite a challenging senior season due to injury, he is seen as a potential successor to Aaron Rodgers.
Key points
Drew Allar played only six games in his senior season due to injury.
He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round, 76th overall.
The Steelers may sign Aaron Rodgers, who could retire soon.
Drew AllarAaron RodgersPittsburgh SteelersWill Howard
Drew Allar had strong sophomore and junior seasons at Penn State. His senior season cost him.
Allar played in only six games due to a broken ankle, and didn’t do enough to impress NFL scouts into moving him up draft boards.
Allar still ended up in a decent spot. He went to the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 12th pick of the third round, 76th overall. The Steelers will probably get Aaron Rodgers signed at some point this offseason to start in 2026, but as he enters his age-43 season, he could retire after any season.
Whether that answer is Allar remains to be seen. He needs plenty of development to get to the point where he could be trusted as a starter. But the Steelers did use a valuable pick on him. The Steelers will need someone to step in when Rodgers is done. Pittsburgh just drafted Will Howard in the sixth round last year and have talked him up this offseason, though they’re clearly not sold there to use a pick on Allar, who is a project with some positive traits.
Drew Allar's final season at Penn State ended with an ankle injury. (Photo by Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images)
Drew Allar's final season at Penn State ended with an ankle injury. (Photo by Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images)
(Isaiah Vazquez via Getty Images)
Allar has NFL size and a good arm, and showed some athleticism at Penn State as well. The problem has been consistency and accuracy. That was an issue coming into last season and he didn’t show enough improvement in those areas during his final six games in college.
Q&A
Why did Drew Allar drop in the NFL Draft despite his earlier success?
Drew Allar's senior season was marred by a broken ankle, limiting him to only six games and failing to impress NFL scouts.
What are the Pittsburgh Steelers' plans for Drew Allar?
The Steelers view Allar as a project quarterback who could potentially succeed Aaron Rodgers when he retires, but he will need significant development.
Who else are the Steelers considering as a quarterback option?
In addition to Drew Allar, the Steelers have also drafted Will Howard in the sixth round last year, indicating they are exploring multiple options for the future.
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The good news as Allar heads into the NFL is he has the physical tools to last for a while in the league. He has plenty of work to do to refine his game, but he won’t have the same pressure to develop quickly that he would have had as a higher pick.
Allar isn’t the first toolsy quarterback that has been drafted, with the hope that he develops his game to match his arm strength and size. He should be given some time to do that in Pittsburgh.