Drew Allar has yet to hit the field for his senior season, third year starting at quarterback for Penn State football. As hype for the Nittany Lions' 2025 season continues buzzing, Allar is getting a lot of faith put into him — but not for his performance in the upcoming season.
ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. predicted that with the enhanced offense the senior has to work with at Penn State, Allar has potential to be a top 10 2026 NFL Draft selection. He went beyond that, actually, saying he could see him getting picked second or third overall.
How high of a ceiling is too high for Allar, though?
Texas' Arch Manning, Clemson's Cade Klubnik, South Carolina's LaNorris Sellers, and LSU's Garrett Nussmeier are all potential or definite names that'll enter the 2026 NFL Draft. Though Manning's likelihood of staying after his redshirt sophomore season is high and Sellers is also just a redshirt sophomore, Klubnik and Nussmeier are both seniors alongside Allar.
The Nittany Lion had his best season so far in his collegiate career in 2024, but it also came with some significant mishaps. Interceptions (at costly times) is one of them and not having the right resources to work with on the field was another. Yes, Penn State has an improved wide receiver room, but Allar needs to prove himself still — especially if we're talking about a top five selection in April.
“[Allar] looks the part. He’s going back, smart move to go back. Now he has receivers who can get open. Keep in mind, final four games of last year? He was below 60 percent. Guys couldn’t get separation,” Kiper Jr. said. “The new wide receivers, and he’s got two young tight ends as well, a heck of an offensive line, and [Nicholas] Singleton and [Kaytron] Allen in that backfield? This offense is ready to roll with [Allar] this year. He could be in line to be a top 10 pick, maybe one of the top two, three picks overall.”
"He could be in line to be a top-10 pick, maybe one of the top two, three picks overall [in the NFL Draft]."
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) August 28, 2025
—@MelKiperESPN on Penn State QB Drew Allar pic.twitter.com/F0mheQfnBo
Allar could've been a mid-to-high first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, so getting into the top 10 in 2026 isn't too far out of his reach. Right now, the highest draft pick Allar's name is associated with in mock drafts is No. 11 overall by the Indianapolis Colts, just missing the top 10 that Kiper Jr. is confident he'll be in. Pushing him into those top three selections, though, is going to come down to if he can out-perform his quarterback competition and make those leaps that Allar and head coach James Franklin claimed he made in the offseason.