Steelers Draft Next QB, Selecting Penn State's Drew Allar

The Pittsburgh Steelers have drafted their potential quarterback of the future.

With the No. 76 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Steelers selected Penn State's Drew Allar.

Allar is the third selection of Pittsburgh's draft class, joining Arizona State offensive tackle Max Iheanachor (No. 21) and Alabama wide receiver Germie Bernard (No. 53).

Despite suffering a season-ending ankle injury this past October and struggling when healthy in 2025, Allar was still considered one of the better quarterback prospects in this year's class.

During the 2024 season, he threw for 3,327 yards, 24 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 16 games as Penn State made it all the way to the semifinals of the College Football Playoff.

Allar will now join Will Howard and Mason Rudolph in the Steelers' quarterback room as they await word from Aaron Rodgers.

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 Allar and Howard Competition

The expectation remains that Rodgers will eventually sign with Pittsburgh, which is in the best interest of Allar as he continues recovering from his ankle injury while adapting to professional football.

Howard is naturally ahead of Allar from a developmental standpoint as he enters his second year in the NFL after being selected in the sixth round of the 2025 draft, but it's not like Allar is incapable of catching and surpassing him in short order.

Because a large chunk of Howard's rookie season was wiped out due to a freak hand injury he suffered in training camp last year, keeping him out of the preseason and on the reserve/injured list until Week 11, it's not like he has an experience advantage over Allar either.

Furthermore, both quarterbacks should be on equal footing when it comes to the Steelers' new coaching staff, which is headline by head coach Mike McCarthy.

McCarthy and offensive coordinator Brian Angelichio have talked up Howard since arriving in Pittsburgh, and it appears the 24-year-old checked all the necessary boxes during voluntary minicamp, but he's gonna need to do a lot more than just that to establish himself as a potential future starter for the team.

The same goes for Allar, whose journey will begin at rookie minicamp early next month. Viewed as a first-round type of talent leading into the 2025 season, the onus is on him to bounce back and prove that he's still worthy of being viewed within that conversation.

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