On Monday, Drew Allar made headlines. It was said that the Penn State quarterback told his coaches he anticipated playing in Happy Valley again in 2025.
Allar claimed that returning to Penn State and forgoing the 2025 NFL draft was a personal and football decision that he believed was best for him.Allar has been outstanding for the Nittany Lions as they get ready to play in the College Football Playoffs, but both Allar and Penn State’s coaches think there is still a lot of space for improvement, James Franklin noted.
The industry’s most seasoned and well-resourced draft specialist, Dane Brugler, concurs. The Athletic’s top draft analyst, Brugler, told PennLive that Allar’s declaration that he plans to return to Penn State for his senior year did not surprise him.
According to Brugler, Drew would most likely be selected in the 15–50 range if he were to enter the draft at this time. There is a wide range. But with a player who obviously has potential and tools, that’s what we’re talking about. However, you get the impression that he is not quite whole.
Allar might indeed be selected in the first round of the 2025 draft. The former five-star prospect has a great skill set, yet the quarterback class is rather poor. However, Brugler stated that Allar has a good chance of being selected as the first quarterback in the 2026 NFL draft.
The 2026 NFL draft class is still very much up in the air. Garrett Nussmeier of LSU declared his intention to return. Jalen Milroe of Alabama hasn’t decided yet. Texas hasn’t actually started Arch Manning yet. Tennessee’s Nico Iamaleava occasionally exhibits brilliant moments, but not always, according to Brugler.
The quarterback class will ultimately depend on how the upcoming season unfolds, according to Brugler. However, there is no doubt that Drew has the potential to be the quarterback. After the upcoming season, he will be a three-year starter, something that other quarterbacks in the draft will not be able to claim. Drew will be considered to have the best chance of being that top quarterback going into the following season.
On Nov. 2, 2024, Penn State quarterback Drew Allar signals a first down in the first quarter.
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Allar’s passing grade of 84.1 places him third nationally among quarterbacks in the 2026 draft class, per Pro Football Focus. Allar trails only Kevin Jennings of SMU and Cade Klubnik of Clemson, who Penn State will play this weekend in the College Football Playoffs.
Allar was essential to the Nittany Lions’ run to the CFP and will be vital to their chances of winning the national championship. In his first season under OC Andy Kotelnicki, Allar has flourished. Allar has passed 2,894 yards, 21 touchdowns, and seven interceptions on 69.1% of his attempts. In the FBS, he ranks tenth with 8.9 yards per passing attempt. Allar’s 2023 total of 6.8 yards per attempt placed him 77th in the country.
The 235-pound, 6-foot-5 signal-caller has been able and willing to scurry. He has improved his pocket presence. He is playing with greater assurance. It’s all captured on video. As we look to the upcoming season, so do the areas where Allar has to do better.
Brugler remarked, “He’s a big, impressive player.” For a guy that huge, he moves around quite well. The ball emerges quickly and effortlessly. You could hardly ask for more arm strength than he possesses. This year, he performed better in terms of accuracy and repeatable mechanics. When he climbed and hit his reads on time, he was more consistent in his drops.
Even now, occasionally, his gaze will meet targets. He will become engrossed in a favorite book and fail to notice what is unfolding. He occasionally needs to demonstrate some improvement in order to establish a stable platform beneath himself when he is ejected from a position.
In the Big Ten championship game, he was knocked off his spot a few times and made a throw using an insane arm angle since he is such a talented guy. However, there are other occasions when things go wrong because his accuracy isn’t consistent. One thing he can keep improving at is being more flexible when things don’t go as planned. And until you’re competing against real opponents, you normally don’t grow better at it. You can practice as much as you like. However, that sensation is unmatched in real games.
If Allar returns to Penn State for the upcoming season, he will have additional opportunities to gain that experience. However, Brugler was careful to point out that, in theory, everything may change over the course of the next few weeks.
Even though Allar and Franklin have discussed his expected return in 2025, Allar still has a potential to attract more NFL interest, improve his draft rankings, and declare for the 2025 NFL draft if he performs well in the CFP.
Once more, he is unlikely to change his mind. However, the 12-team CFP is only in its inaugural year. We’re talking about college football, so anything can happen.
According to Brugler, the playoffs have the potential to alter the storylines surrounding certain players. Therefore, things might change if Drew has a strong run and leads Penn State to the championship game. However, given what we already know, his return was always the most likely scenario.
There are no guarantees by going back. But if Drew s focused on being the best quarterback he can, I think that s the gamble worth taking, especially in the NIL era when you can get paid to go back to school. For him, that always made the greatest sense.
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