Photo by Ben Queen / USA Today Sports While decimating the Boise State Broncos during the Fiesta Bowl, reports online circulated that with a deep playoff run, Penn State quarterback Drew Allar could reconsider his decision to go back to school in 2025.
In mid-December, Allar released a statement “intending” that he would return to the Nittany Lions next season, but he never flat out said it.
“I know there’s still more work to do which is why I look forward to making more memories with my teammates this year and beyond,” the statement said. “But right now we are focused on the opportunity we have as a team in front of us.”
Making more memories with your teammates? You could treat the boys to a nice dinner after securing the bag in the NFL, right? The door is definitely cracked open for Allar to change his mind, and The Athletic’s Dane Brugler confirmed that.
Brugler reported that NFL teams are still heavily scouting Allar for the 2025 class, as the belief is that with a deep run in the playoffs, the Penn State quarterback could change his mind. FOX Sports NFL insider Jordan Schultz elaborated, stating that teams love Allar’s 6-foot-5, 235-pound frame, athleticism and raw throwing ability.
The elephant in the room here is that the supply in the 2025 NFL Draft quarterback class simply does not meet the demand. Teams are always looking for good, young quarterbacks in the first round. This year? Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders and Miami’s Cam Ward are the only two QBs that seem to be first-round locks.
Alabama’s Jalen Milroe struggled at points throughout the season, with a disappointing final showing against Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl. Not to mention, there are reports that Quinn Ewers could return to the transfer portal for a massive amount of NIL money.
That leaves this class with… Jaxson Dart out of Ole Miss, Ohio State’s Will Howard, Indiana’s Kurtis Rourke, Oregon’s Dillion Gabriel and an injured Carson Beck. These guys are all projected third-round picks or later. There’s a steep falloff in this class.
Last season, Oregon’s Bo Nix shot up draft boards late. He is a much older prospect than Allar, who will turn 21 years old just a month before the draft, but he caught the eye of Sean Payton and is working out as a first-round selection for the Denver Broncos.
Sure, Allar’s skill set is a little more raw. But with a rocket arm and the much-needed intangibles, there’s no doubt he’d impress during an NFL Combine workout, and some QB-needy team would talk themselves into him.
2026 is expected to be a much deeper quarterback class headlined by Arch Manning. If Allar leads the Nittany Lions to an Orange Bowl victory, don’t be surprised if he throws his name into the mix for April’s NFL Draft.
