Photo by Ben Queen / USA Today Sports 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.
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.
