The Pittsburgh Steelers are taking a ground-up approach with rookie quarterback Drew Allar, working to overhaul his mechanics as the former Penn State star transitions to the NFL. Selected in the third round of the draft, Allar was once considered a potential first-round pick but saw his stock slip after a challenging final college season.
Allar returned to Penn State for his senior year in 2024, throwing for 3,327 yards and 24 touchdowns while leading the Nittany Lions to the College Football Playoff semifinals. However, his performance declined down the stretch, and a season-ending injury last October ultimately pushed him to Day 2 of the draft.
Now, under new Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy, Allar is undergoing a full-scale mechanical reboot. According to ESPN, the coaching staff is focused on "uninstalling everything he has learned and re-uploading their own methods, fundamentals, and mechanics." This process has been evident in practice, with McCarthy and quarterbacks coach Tom Arth working closely with Allar on his footwork and stance.
The primary goal is to widen Allar's base and keep him off his toes in the pocket. By adjusting his foundation, the Steelers hope to give the 6-foot-5, 235-pound quarterback more time to process defenses and move efficiently against the pass rush—a critical adjustment as he acclimates to NFL speed.
Allar joins a quarterback room that currently includes second-year Ohio State product Will Howard and veteran Mason Rudolph, with no clear starter named. The long-standing expectation is that future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers will re-sign with the team, reuniting with his former Packers coach McCarthy and providing a veteran mentor for the young signal-caller.
Despite the raw nature of his game, Allar's pedigree is undeniable. Ranked as the No. 3 overall recruit and top quarterback in the 2022 class, he was a three-year starter at Penn State, finishing with 7,402 passing yards, 61 touchdowns, and just 13 interceptions. His physical tools—a powerful arm and prototypical NFL frame—are exactly what teams look for in a modern quarterback.
However, the evaluation tape shows a player with more variance than certainty. Concerns aren't about arm talent but about consistency, as his completion percentage fluctuated during his time in Happy Valley. While Penn State's wide receiver corps was inconsistent, Allar's own snap-to-snap production sometimes limited the offense. Still, he showed enough promise to warrant the Steelers' investment, and with a full mechanical rebuild underway, the hope in Pittsburgh is that the best is yet to come.