The Penn State Nittany Lions are on fire to start the season, and their sophomore quarterback, Drew Allar, looks like he may have taken a big step up compared to his freshman season. With plenty of NFL teams in need of a new quarterback, where will Sanders land in the 2025 NFL Draft this spring?
Where Did Drew Allar Land in Our Most Recent NFL Mock Draft?
In the most recent seven-round NFL Mock Draft from Pro Football Network NFL Draft Analyst Ian Cummings, Allar ended up as the fifth overall pick, pairing him with the Las Vegas Raiders.
It’s not clear what the Raiders’ roster will look like next year, but at the moment, they’re harboring some of the highest-end receiving talent in the league with the duo of veteran wideout Davante Adams and rookie tight end Brock Bowers.
Allar’s Best Landing Spots in the NFL
As a top quarterback prospect, Allar’s landing spot will have a lot to do with who ends up picking where, but let’s take a look at some of the places he might end up.
Las Vegas Raiders
Let’s start with the team we’re currently projecting to land Allar. Vegas will likely move on from the duo of Gardner Minshew II and Aidan O’Connell this offseason. After a great finish to the 2023 season under then-interim coach Antonio Pierce, the Raiders were pulled out of position to take a top passer in the 2024 NFL Draft. That will likely not be the case in 2025.
Even with the trade of Davantae Adams, the Raiders do have some reliable receiving options. Jakobi Meyers is a solid second receiver, and rookie tight end Bowers is already establishing himself as one of the league’s very best tight ends.
Drew Allar is showing the country he can take @PennStateFball far this season. 📈 pic.twitter.com/IfvgaIKw3v
— College Football Network (@CFN365) September 11, 2024
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans have seen the highs and lows of Levis, so they might be interested in a more refined version of the talented Penn State and Kentucky passer. Tennesee also traded a top receiving option with the departure of DeAndre Hopkins. Calvin Ridley and Tyler Boyd do remain, however. They haven’t been overly productive this year, but it’s more than fair to ask whether an upgrade at quarterback could change that
New head coach Brian Callahan might be given another shot no matter how badly this season goes, as Levis is not his project but was inherited. If given an opportunity to start fresh, he may have more success with Allar.
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are in the mix to pick first overall again, but if they come up just short of that mark, Allar could be a great fit with head coach Dave Canales, who resurrected the careers of Geno Smith and Baker Mayfield in his previous jobs.
Carolina’s offensive currently boasts Dionte Johnson, Xavier Legette, and Jonathan Brooks, and they should have plenty of cap space and draft capital to get additional support for Allar should they select him in the draft. If he lands here, he could be a candidate to take a “redshirt” year and start in his second season, much like Patrick Mahomes, Carson Palmer, and many other successful pros.
Drew Allar’s Scouting Report
Let’s dive into some of the key points from Cummings’s profile on Allar.
“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.
“With his composite arm talent, 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.
“For Allar, execution and overall accuracy are two areas where he stands to improve in 2024. His process with dropback footwork and pressure resistance can still be more consistent. And 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 — especially after Penn State’s change at offensive coordinator. Allar shows glimpses of promise as a field general, game manager, processor, and pocket navigator, and he has the elite raw talent to elevate a team.”
Allar 2024 Season Stats and Game Breakdowns
Completions: 103
Attempts: 146
Completion Percentage: 70.5%
Passing Yards: 1,492
Passing Touchdowns: 11
Interceptions: 4
Allar has had a big start to the 2024 season, earning an NCAA passer rating of 175.8, a big improvement over a mark of 136.9 a year ago.
Allar is also able to use his legs, as he scrambled 30 times for 121 yards and even scored three rushing touchdowns.
Allar’s most impressive performance of the young season came on opening day against West Virginia, as he threw for three touchdowns and no picks in the road win.
When Is Allar Playing Next?
Allar and the No. 3 Penn State Nittany Lions will face against the Wisconsin Badgers on Saturday, Oct. 26, at 7:30 p.m. ET. This game will air on NBC and Peacock.
Allar and the Nittany Lions will try to remain undefeated and improve to 7-0 on the season.
