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Drew Allar, a highly-rated quarterback, became Penn State's starter in 2022 after serving as a backup. He impressed in his first start, throwing for 325 yards and three touchdowns against West Virginia.
Sep 27, 2025; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Drew Allar (15) warms up before a game against the Oregon Ducks at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images | James Lang-Imagn Images
THE SKINNY
Drew Allar came to Penn State as one of the most prized recruits in program history, ranked as the top quarterback in the 2022 class and third-nest overall prospect. He served as backup to senior Sean Clifford as a true freshman, quickly burning his redshirt and gaining key experience while appearing in 11 games. He quickly showed that he has an NFL arm, but needed more polish to become an overall stellar quarterback.
Allar took over as QB1 as a true sophomore in 2022 with plenty of expectations. The hype train was off and running after Allar led the Nittany Lions to a season-opening 38-15 victory over West Virginia. Allar completed 21 of 29 passes for 325 yards in his first start, with three touchdowns, including this gem:
He also led them to early -season wins over Illinois and Iowa, a 31-0 victory with Allar tossing for four touchdowns and no interceptions. In fact, Allar nearly made it through his first nine starts before throwing his first career interception.
However, it became clear that Allar needed more growth if he were to become an All-American level quarterback. He struggled in losses to Ohio State and Michigan, completing just 44 percent of passes as the offense had a difficult time moving the ball.
Allar finished the season with 25 touchdown passes to just two interceptions, but the lack of downfield passing held back the offense. Defenses soon caught up, taking away the short passing lanes that Allar was more comfortable with while defending less of the field.
Expectations only grew in 2024. While Allar had a strong season overall, he did not elevate to become one of the nationās best quarterbacks as expected. He regularly made elite NFL-level throws, but would prove too inconsistent from down to down. The passes that would drop jaws on highlight reels were mixed in with overthrows, holding the ball for too long and regularly not finding the open receiver. Allar did lead the team to the brink of the National Championship Game, but an uncharacteristic interception against Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl led to a heartbreaking loss with the Irish kicking a field goal on the final play of the game.
In his first start, Drew Allar completed 21 of 29 passes for 325 yards and three touchdowns.
As a true freshman, Drew Allar served as a backup and played in 11 games, gaining valuable experience while burning his redshirt.
Drew Allar was ranked as the top quarterback in the 2022 class and the third overall prospect.
When Drew Allar took over as QB1, he faced high expectations due to his impressive skills and the hype surrounding his recruitment.

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Allar returned alongside a host of Penn State seniors for an expected national championship run in 2025. However, things quickly went south after starting the season ranked #2. While the Nittany Lions started 3-0 with a soft non-conference schedule, the offense appeared out of sorts despite the weak competition. The concerns turned legitimate in the Big Ten opener against Oregon, with Penn State only mustering a field goal before two late touchdowns helped them get to overtime. The weak start ultimately doomed the Nittany Lions, as the game was sealed for the Ducks with Allar throwing an interception in overtime.
The season then unraveled with a shocking loss to UCLA, that was doomed by another late start for the offense with just seven points at halftime against a poor Bruins defense. Penn State then fell to 3-3, losing to Northwestern 22-21 in yet another game where the offense could not find any rhythm. It would be Allarās last game of his college career as he suffered a broken ankle on a failed fourth-and-two run attempt in the final possession of the game.
WHAT YOUāRE GETTING
Allar has been one of the most scrutinized players in college football over the last several years, so it isnāt hard to find a variety of opinions about his ability.
Letās start with the positives, with the biggest being Allarās prototypical size and arm of an NFL quarterback. At 6-5, 235 lbs. with an arm that can heave the ball 70 yards down the field with a slight flick of the wrist. He has been compared to Josh Allen for good reason, boasting nearly identical size and athleticism. He also moves surprisingly well for his size, regularly converting key third downs with his legs.
Allar also grew as a leader during his time at Penn State. He often appeared uncomfortable and nervous during his first year as a starter in 2023, but became much more vocal and fiery the next two seasons. He was regularly commended for his work ethic and team-first attitude.
Despite the many physical gifts, Allar could never quite put it together to become a true standout as his career was marred with inconsistency. It became a regular occurrence for him to make an NFL-level throw, then immediately follow that up by overthrowing an open receiver or throwing into coverage while missing an open man.
So what caused Allar to not reach his full potential as a projected Heisman candidate and top five overall draft pick? It appeared to be a combination of things. As mentioned, Allar often flashed immense potential but never could put it all together. Even in his third year as a starter, you just never knew what type of outing to expect from Allar, or even what might happen each time he dropped back. He also wasnāt helped by playing under two different offensive coordinators who were labeled as play calling geniuses, only to be unceremoniously dumped after two seasons apiece. There was also the well-documented struggles of Penn Stateās receivers during Allarās time in Happy Valley, although there is debate whether the receivers couldnāt get separation, or Allar just not reading the defense to find the soft spots in coverage.
Allar could still develop into a franchise quarterback in the NFL, but it will need to find the right landing spot for that to happen. The best-case scenario would be to sit behind a veteran quarterback while he learns the system. He certainly has the physical tools to succeed, but absolutely must improve greatly on reading defenses and being more accurate on a down-to-down basis.