Could Drew Allar be the next starting QB for the Pittsburgh Steelers?

Drew Allar heard his name called in the 2026 NFL Draft on Friday night, and he won't have to make too long a trip to his new team.

That's because Allar, who played collegiately for the Penn State Nittany Lions, was selected in the third round by the Pittsburgh Steelers, a franchise just a couple of hours away from his college campus.

Steelers select Drew Allar in the 2026 NFL Draft

The Steelers needed to make a move at quarterback in the draft, with the future of Aaron Rodgers still hanging in the air and an unproven commodity in the quarterback room in the Steel City. And with Fernando Mendoza and Ty Simpson, the only two quarterbacks considered first-rounders in the draft, and both off the board before the Steelers even made their first pick in the draft, Allar was a convenient option.

But can Allar grow into QB1 for the Steelers? Well, it's certainly possible, particularly if Rodgers in fact does not come back next season. That scenario will leave a real battle at signal caller in Pittsburgh, and Allar is certainly viewed as the type of player with the skill to win the battle. One NFC quarterbacks coach thinks he could even be a generational talent at the position, similar to one current AFC North quarterback who has a Super Bowl title to his name.

I" went into my Zoom interview with him thinking he’d be kind of a dope, like the things that were happening on film. But he was incredible. "Blew me away with his interview,” the coach said. “His knowledge of what they did at Penn State, his ability to call plays, all of it. He’s got a chance to be like a Joe Flacco. He’s big, he’s strong, he runs straight ahead fast."