Penn State quarterback Drew Allar (15) runs a drill during the school's NFL football pro day, Wednesday, March 18, 2026, in State College, Pa. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

UNIVERSITY PARK — When Drew Allar arrived at Penn State, he was immediately projected as a first-round NFL draft pick.

That optimism eroded steadily over the past four years as Allar failed to live up to his potential and ultimately suffered a broken ankle midway through his final season.

Allar not only didn’t play his best in the biggest moments, he played his worst.

An otherwise decent legacy (26-9 record, 7,402 yards, 63.2 percent completion rate, 61-13 touchdown-interception ratio) was marred by his late-game interceptions on awful reads that sealed the College Football Playoff semifinal loss to Notre Dame in the 2025 Orange Bowl and buried the Nittany Lions’ in their season-shaper against Oregon this past September.

“Obviously,” he told a pack of reporters at Penn State’s Pro Day at Holuba Hall on Wednesday, “I would like to have had a little more hardware.”

Allar has now turned his attention to the NFL. He displayed his strong arm at Pro Day, just as he did at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis last month.

“I feel I showed growth each year and from end of my senior year to the Combine,” he said.

Allar has focused on improving his footwork and accuracy. A quarterback’s success is often traced as much to his eyes and his feet as it is to his arm.

“They like my arm talent, and they want to know how I process learning protections and schemes,” he said of NFL suitors. “The defensive coordinators are smart and the guys who have played in the league five-seven years know how to disguise things.”

That’s an area Allar has struggled. But it wasn’t all his fault.

James Franklin’s track record of quarterback development is questionable – especially with drop-back passers like Allar and Christian Hackenberg.

Sean Clifford made more plays with his legs and Trace McSorley, who led the Lions to the 2016 Big Ten title, enjoyed the most success but was also surrounded by outstanding skill players and a savvy offensive coordinator in Joe Moorhead.

Allar has talked to “pretty much every team” in the NFL, and given the dearth of quality quarterbacking in that league, it will be stunning if he’s not drafted.

You’d have to think there are quarterback coaches and offensive gurus who believe they can make more of Allar than he’s shown so far, that he’s not a lost cause.

This is not viewed as a loaded QB class. Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza is the consensus No. 1 and will probably go to Las Vegas, which has the overall top pick. Alabama’s Ty Simpson is likely to go next, either in the first round or second.

From there, Allar is in a mix with LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier and Miami’s Carson Beck. Those three are seen as third-day picks (fourth through seventh round) but on the other hand, QBs’ stock tends to rise closer to draft day.

Allar said he’s busy with interviews, often on Zoom, along with traveling to private workouts.

“I love talking football and getting a different understanding of how coaches teach,” he said. “I’m just taking one day at a time and will just let the chips fall where they may. I don’t know what round, what pick, what team.”

Teammate Devonte Ross was one of the receivers catching Allar’s passes in front of a couple hundred scouts Wednesday.

“Drew was in control, like he’s always been,” Ross said. “He knew everything top to bottom. Everybody in this building loves Drew. Whatever team he plays for is getting a great player and a great person.”

Allar said he’s completely recovered from his ankle surgery, saying, “I haven’t had limitations the last two months. I feel like I could play in a game right now.”

The NFL’s best recipe for rookie quarterbacks, generally, is allowing them to sit and learn for a year, rather than rushing their development – usually with a desperate team.

Allar would be well suited going somewhere with a proven starter and maybe even an experienced backup to help him overcome the growing pains of his Penn State tenure.

Rudel can be reached at nrudel@altoonamirror.com.