Pittsburgh Steelers select Drew Allar in 3rd round of 2026 NFL Draft

Former Penn State quarterback Drew Allar is off the board in the 2026 NFL Draft. The Pittsburgh selected him in the third round.

Allar spent four seasons at Penn State and became the starter in 2023 after Sean Clifford headed to the NFL. He turned in his best year as a junior in 2024 when he completed 66.5% of his passes for 3,327 yards and 24 touchdowns, to eight interceptions.

There was speculation Allar would declare for the 2025 NFL Draft, but he opted to return for his senior season. However, his year ended after just six games due to a knee injury, from which he is fully recovered. He started the year with a 64.8% completion percentage while throwing for 1,100 yards and eight touchdowns.

All told, during his four years at Penn State, Allar threw for 7,402 yards and 16 touchdowns, along with 13 interceptions. Now, he will take his talents to the NFL.

Allar played high school football at Medina (OH), where he was a five-star prospect. He was the No. 28 overall player and No. 3-ranked quarterback from the 2022 cycle, according to the Rivals Industry Ranking.

What NFL Draft analysts are saying about Drew Allar

Drew Allar presented an interesting case for NFL scouts through the pre-draft process. While his athleticism was clear, and he further showed it at the NFL Scouting Combine, questions remained about his ability to process. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein acknowledged those concerns in his evaluation, but also noted Allar’s arm talent as part of his upside.

“Allar looks the part with prototypical size and an effortless arm that can make any NFL throw,” Zierlein wrote. “However, inconsistent touch and ball placement are a major hindrance. In big moments and big games, he hasn’t proven he can rise to the occasion or sustain efficiency. The stats looked good in a conservative offense as a sophomore, but his play became more erratic once the playbook was opened up and more responsibility was put on his plate. He can be slow to process and get to his best option. He also struggles to adjust his pre-snap plan to fit the coverage.

“It’s worth noting Allar’s receivers struggled to win man-coverage matchups for him. Against zone, he makes anticipatory throws and beats coverage at an adequate clip. Mechanical fixes are possible, but confidence, poise and recognition must be the foundation of any rebound. Allar projects as an average backup with high-end traits.”