The Pittsburgh Steelers made a major move in the third round of last month’s NFL Draft by selecting Penn State quarterback Drew Allar. Even though the quarterback room in the Steel City is quite clogged with Aaron Rodgers, Mason Rudolph, and Will Howard all likely to be in the fold in 2026, Allar has the chance to really shine down the road.
In fact, Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski believes that Allar will have the third-best career out of the 2026 rookie quarterback draft class. Just ahead of him on the list are Los Angeles Rams quarterback Ty Simpson and Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
The Pittsburgh Steelers Have Their Future Locked Up at Quarterback
GettyDrew Allar led Penn State to multiple 10-win seasons during his collegiate career.
Here is what Sobleski had to say about Allar’s NFL future:
“Allar is an interesting addition because he has the traits and natural arm talent to be QB1, though he needs significant development to reach that point…He could thrive if brought along properly, and the Steelers can be content in the fact they didn’t need to spend a first-round pick in order to find a franchise quarterback.”
Assuming the above names are a part of the Steelers quarterback room for head coach Mike McCarthy, Allar could be the fourth quarterback on the depth chart. Standing at 6’5″ and weighing close to 230 pounds, the Ohio native has the traits and ability to be a quality quarterback in the NFL. However, as Sobleski noted, he needs time to mature and develop. Few coaches are better at developing the quarterback position than McCarthy.
Not only can the Steelers have a future with Allar, but they could also have one with Howard, who already has the respect of Rodgers. With the veterans in Rodgers and Rudolph there to help mentor the young signal-callers, the future at the position in Pittsburgh could be in a great spot.
No Better Player-Coach to Learn From Than Aaron Rodgers
GettyAaron Rodgers threw 24 touchdowns last season for the Steelers.
As evidenced by the recent play of Packers starting quarterback Jordan Love, it is hard to find a better quarterback to learn from than Rodgers, who mentored Love for three seasons in Green Bay (2020-2022). Now, Rodgers has the chance to help teach the NFL game to another young player in Allar, assuming the former Super Bowl champion comes back to play for the Steelers in 2026. After getting a head start with Howard last year, Allar could join the Aaron Rodgers QB school this year.
Despite battling age and a fractured wrist last season, Rodgers recorded 25 total touchdowns and just seven interceptions while playing with a makeshift group of wide receivers for much of the year. Now that he has the opportunity to link back up with McCarthy, who helped him become the best quarterback in the league and one of the greatest of all time, he’ll have the chance to be at the top of his game while the Padawans watch from the sidelines.
Steelers Rookie Predicted to Have 3rd-Best Career Among QBs