Quarterback preseason rankings are causing a Drew Allar stir

Penn State Nittany Lions have a number of returning players for the 2025-26 season. Quarterback Drew Allar is among them, but how high is caliber is has been up for debate.

The rising senior threw for 3,327 yards and 24 touchdowns in the 2024 season with a 66.5 passing rate. His crash in the postseason, though, led to a passing rate below 59 percent in both the Big Ten Championship and College Football Playoff games.

Heading into the 2025-26 season, he may have a stronger wide receiver group who previously went without a reception against Notre Dame. After the loss, Harrison Wallace III and Omari Evans transferred out of Penn State, creating some vacancy in the Nittany Lions' receiver core.

Adding transfers Kyron Hudson and Devonte Ross could amp up this position group and give Allar more to work with. In the spring season, head coach James Franklin noted that the two have "bright futures" ahead.

These veteran receivers got another boost from the transfer portal. The Nittany Lions picked up Trebor Pena, someone who will bring more production on the field to redeem the wide receiver group from its 2024-25 season. So while the wide receiver group is considered to be an unknown, a strong transfer group can't be overlooked.

"I think [Pena's] joined the room not from an ego standpount of like, 'This is what I've done.' It's more like, 'What do you guys need me to do?'" receivers coach Marques Hagans said according to Penn State Nittany Lions On SI.

Expectations are high for the quarterback entering his third season as a starter. But even with his personal postseason improvement and determination, there are two many unknowns to raise expectations and praise for the upcoming season - or so fans think.

According to CBS Sports, the wide receiver struggles held Allar back and opened up the wave for quarterback criticism . His 2025-26 season will likely prove them wrong, even without tight end Tyler Warren.

Back in mid-May, ESPN's David Hale listed Allar as one of the star quarterbacks for 2025-26. Despite a slow journey to the top, Hale roped him into the "Best of the best" group.

"They're consistent producers; veterans who, if you follow the career trend lines, should reach peak performance in 2025," Hale wrote of Allar, Clemson's Cade Klubnik, and LSU's Garret Nussmeier.

Greg McElroy shared his overall college football quarterback ranking in late April. The Nittany Lion was posted at the No. 4 spot .

Most recently, Josh Pate's preseason quarterback ranking caused a stir on X with many wondering why Allar was thrown up as No.1.

However, Allar's Boise State performance was one to catch the attention of NFL scouts and make him a top candidate as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Even if his praise is boiling over the top, this postseason has lit a fire under Allar and the refinements in his game are more likely to make a difference than not in 2025-26.