The Pittsburgh Steelers used the No. 76 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft on Friday night to grab Penn State quarterback Drew Allar, dropping a big-armed, big-framed project into a quarterback room that is still waiting to find out if Aaron Rodgers is coming back. Allar arrives with hefty college numbers and clear upside, but also lingering questions after a season-ending ankle injury last fall. For Pittsburgh, it looks like a relatively cheap bet on a developmental passer who could pay off down the line.
As the team noted on Steelers.com, Allar completed 633 passes for 7,402 yards and 61 touchdowns across four seasons at Penn State. His name was called during the club's in-house draft coverage, immediately dropping him into a depth chart already populated with veterans and younger challengers.
Tom Arth, Pittsburgh’s quarterbacks coach, said the team is "very excited to have Drew in our room," according to Steelers.com. The sentiment lined up with what the Steelers clearly valued most: size, arm strength, and enough encouraging tape to believe there is more to unlock.
Size and measurables
At the NFL Scouting Combine Allar checked in at 6-foot-5 1/4 and 228 pounds, with a 9 7/8-inch hand and a 79 5/8-inch wingspan, according to CBS Sports. Those numbers backed up the prototype look that had him pegged as a mid-round swing for teams chasing raw traits at quarterback.
Medical and draft stock
Allar's 2025 campaign ended when he broke his left ankle against Northwestern and later required surgery. He was back to throwing at workouts and pro-day sessions in less than four months, according to Yahoo Sports. That quick return eased some fears, but it still left front offices weighing medical risk against upside during the run-up to the draft.
Scouting takeaways and grades
Reaction to the pick came in all over the map. Nick Baumgardner of The Athletic tagged the selection with a B, while Sporting News pointed out that Allar was the fourth quarterback off the board and highlighted his prototypical frame and arm talent as the reasons Pittsburgh took the shot. Most outside evaluations slotted him as a developmental starter type rather than a plug-and-play franchise savior.
What it means for Pittsburgh
The move both muddies and clarifies the near-term plan under center in Pittsburgh, which is still waiting on Rodgers' decision about his future, per NFL.com. Allar will jump into offseason work and battle for reps in training camp, with his path to actual snaps dictated by his health and how fast he can digest an NFL playbook.
For now, the pick reads like a classic middle-round gamble: plenty of physical tools and proven production at a price that keeps the Steelers flexible. Expect Pittsburgh to go slow with Allar's recovery while giving him room to grow, and if the size and arm carry over to Sundays, they might have stumbled into a long-term answer without paying long-term money.
