Penn State in the pros: What they're saying about Drew Allar, Kyron Hudson signs a deal, and more

Two Penn State football alums put pen to paper with new NFL teams in mid-May following the first team activities since April’s NFL Draft. Former Nittany Lion guard Sal Wormley, who is entering his second NFL season in 2025, was cut and then re-signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars on May 11. He spent 2025 on the team’s practice squad and will start 2026 there. Additionally, one-time Penn State receiver Kyron Hudson is now a Chicago Bear. He signed with the NFC North franchise on May 11 following a rookie minicamp tryout. Hudson, unlike some of his ex-teammates, did not sign an undrafted free agent contract immediately after the pro selection process. He also had a workout with the Baltimore Ravens.

Speaking of rookie minicamps, the eight Penn State players who went off the board in this year’s draft are signed with their NFL teams and went through their first team event May 8-10. The talk of the group following those is quarterback Drew Allar, of course. The record-setting Nittany Lion passer, who was a a third round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers, got his first chance to take the field in black and gold while waiting to see whether or not Aaron Rodgers will return to the AFC North franchise for his 22nd NFL season.

Unsurprisingly, much of the discourse around Allar is focusing on how famed quarterback guru and new Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy might be able to unlock Allar’s strengths while cleaning up some of his weaknesses, such as footwork issues.

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“To go 35 snaps in a team drill, that’s pushing it, but he handled it,” McCarthy said, according to PennLive. “If your quarterback can’t handle it, then you don’t get to go to the speed and the tempo and the pre-snap that we were able to go. I thought Drew did a hell of a job.

“Everybody teaches footwork a little differently. Everybody has a system of offense and how you tie your quarterback — particularly in the pass game — to that. So there’s a lot of work there. We were able to adjust some fundamentals that we think will help him.”

Allar, to his credit, is taking the coaching and attention that comes with it in stride. He is fully recovered after a broken foot ended his Penn State career early at the midway mark of the 2025 season. And, he knows much work lies ahead to reach the heights he wants to.

“There’s just a lot of room for me to grow, a lot of football to learn, a lot of basics and nuances of the game,” Allar said, per TribLive. “And I’ve learned a lot from a QB fundamental standpoint already, and from an X’s and O’s standpoint. So I’m really happy and definitely fortunate to be in a great situation here.”

In other rookie minicamp news, former Penn State lineman Vega Ioane will be moving from left guard to right guard in the pros. The first round pick of the Baltimore Ravens did not seem fazed by the move. Given his usual demeanor of being calm and cool off the field and a mauler on it, that should not be a surprise.

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“At Penn State, I played both LG and RG. And, a little bit of C, as well,” Ioane said, per BaltimoreRavens.com. “Shout out to Phil Trautwein, my offensive line coach at Penn State. He made sure every day that we were rotating between LG and RG just to get used to it. But out here, it’s definitely a little bit of work to get used to again. But there isn’t much to it.”

As noted above, Ioane and Hudson did work out together prior to the latter’s landing in Chicago. But, the former teammates did have a couple of practices together to reflect on moving up from Penn State to the NFL.

“Man, it’s unbelievable,” Ioane said. “Kyron Hudson [and I], my teammate from Penn State, we were just talking after practice yesterday [about how] it’s a crazy feeling knowing that you’re wearing the NFL shield on your chest now [and] playing in the League. We just finished our first practice in the NFL. It’s definitely a feeling of being blessed. I definitely wouldn’t picture myself here a while ago, but I’m just happy that I’m here now.”