The Penn State Nittany Lions have advanced to the College Football Playoff Semifinals and there’s a ton of buzz surrounding junior quarterback Drew Allar. With plenty of NFL teams in need of a new quarterback, let’s examine whether Allar will enter the 2025 NFL Draft and which teams make sense as a possible landing spot if he does.
Is Drew Allar Entering the 2025 NFL Draft?
In mid-December, Allar announced that he plans to return to Penn State for his senior season.
“This season has been the most fun I’ve ever had in my entire life playing football and I’m so proud of what we’ve accomplished as a team,” Allar posted on social media. “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. But right now, we are solely focused on the opportunity we have as a team in front of us.”
Recently, given Allar’s production, there is speculation that he may change his mind and declare for the 2025 NFL Draft. At the time of his announcement, Allar was being discussed as a Day 2 prospect. But with his strong play and the lack of top quarterback prospects after Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders and Miami’s Cam Ward, he might be a first-round pick.
Multiple NFL executives have reportedly expressed interest in Allar, and it’s possible that his draft stock soaring in recent weeks could cause him to have a change of heart. Since making that announcement, Allar has led Penn State to a pair of CFP victories, including a 31-14 win over No. 3 Boise State in which he threw for three touchdowns.
Allar’s Background and Scouting Report
Allar is only 20 years old, so he would be one of the youngest quarterbacks in this class if he declares. His natural talent is a separator, and that has always been the case for him. At Medina High School in Ohio, he became his varsity team’s starting quarterback as a mere sophomore. By the end of his senior season, he was named Mr. Football of Ohio.
In his final HS campaign, Allar threw for 4,444 yards and 48 touchdowns to just seven interceptions. He also ran for 406 yards and nine scores. As recruiting outlets caught up to Allar’s film and rated him as high as five stars, teams like Penn State also took notice.
Allar had offers from virtually every blue-blood program in the Midwest — including Michigan, Ohio State, and Notre Dame — but at Penn State, Allar had an opportunity to play early. He also had the chance to play under an experienced coach in James Franklin.
Allar was able to get his feet wet in 2022 in relief of Sean Clifford. And when Clifford graduated, Allar took the reins in 2023 and had a very productive first season as the full-time starter. While the Nittany Lions went 10-3 under his watch, Allar completed 233 of 389 attempts (59.9%) for 2,631 yards, 25 TDs, and just two INTs — joining Hendon Hooker as one of just two FBS QBs in history to throw for at least 25 TDs and two or fewer INTs in a season.
Granted, in 2023, Allar’s TD-to-INT ratio painted a disproportionate picture of the offense’s effectiveness. But it was a good start for a young QB, and Allar has only compounded that momentum in 2024.
This season, he has completed 250 of 371 passes (67.4%) for 3,192 yards, 24 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He has also rushed for 285 yards and six touchdowns.
Over the course of his three-year collegiate career, he has thrown for 6,167 yards, 53 touchdowns, and nine interceptions on a 63.2% completion percentage while also rushing for 543 yards and 11 touchdowns.
At 6’5″, 241 pounds, Allar — a one-time five-star recruit — has quantifiably elite composite arm talent, with both arm strength and elasticity above the 90th percentile. He’s a good athlete for his size, but the majority of his appeal comes from his passing upside.
Allar can deliver with pace from many platforms — which, at his size, is an incredible quality to have. Beyond that raw talent, he flashes anticipatory tendencies as a passer, has a good natural mechanical feel, and has impressive command at the line for his age.
While his mechanics are solid, his footwork can lead to shoulder instability, and he’s also still learning how to properly channel touch and pace on certain throws.
Having said all this, there’s reason to be optimistic about Allar’s projection, as he has shown glimpses of promise as a field general, game manager, processor, and pocket navigator, and he has the elite raw talent to elevate a team.
Possible Suitors In the 2025 NFL Draft
Let’s examine some of the top landing spots for Allar if he enters the 2025 NFL Draft.
Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders have been a popular destination for Allar in a number of PFN’s mock drafts, and given how the Raiders’ season ended, it makes a ton of sense. Las Vegas will likely move on from the duo of Gardner Minshew II and Aidan O’Connell this offseason. However, while it initially looked like the Raiders might pick No. 1 or No. 2 in the 2025 NFL Draft, their late-season success caused them to slip to the No. 6 overall pick.
With Sanders and Ward expected to be off the board by the time the Raiders are on the clock, perhaps they will make Allar their quarterback of the future instead. This would be a solid landing spot for Allar, as Brock Bowers is already establishing himself as one of the league’s very best tight ends, Jakobi Meyers is a solid second receiver, and he’d have minority owner Tom Brady as a mentor.
New York Giants
After releasing Daniel Jones, the New York Giants are in the market for a new quarterback. New York met with the QBs in the 2024 NFL Draft and reportedly tried to trade up to select one, but they weren’t able to complete a deal and instead selected Malik Nabers at No. 6 overall. It’s possible that Sanders and Ward will both be gone when the Giants pick at No. 3, so perhaps Allar makes sense at some point.
The Giants recently announced that they are sticking with head coach Brian Daboll and general manager Joe Schoen, and their top priority this offseason will be finding their quarterback of the future.
This landing spot is more attractive for Allar since Daboll is still in charge, as he has a solid track record of developing young quarterbacks. With Nabers in town for the foreseeable future and a dynamic young running back in Tyrone Tracy Jr., Allar would have some electrifying weapons.
Honorable Mention: Cleveland Browns and New York Jets