As the college football season progresses, so does the Pittsburgh Steelers' scout department. There is no secret that the franchise is searching for its next franchise quarterback to this point in the campaign. The Steelers have attended games across the country with some of the best collegiate signal-callers. After this past weekend, they might have a new target.
Pittsburgh and many other scouts from around the NFL were in attendance to witness the Penn State Nittany Lions take on the UCLA Bruins.
While the game itself was a shocking upset for Penn State, everyone wanted to see what Nittany Lions quarterback Drew Allar could accomplish. The potential top gunslinger of the 2026 NFL Draft had a solid game, but the stench of defeat will be difficult for him and Penn State to recover from this early into the year.
UCLA was winless going into this contest, and overall, it's been a disaster for quarterback Nico Iamaleava. After two solid seasons as Tennessee’s starter, he transferred following questionable advice from those close to him. He expected to be well-compensated by transferring to a different program, but that didn’t happen, and Iamaleava’s draft prospects have taken a hit.
Pittsburgh Steelers could target quarterback Nico Iamaleava instead of Drew Allar
Allar had a solid game in a contest where many Penn State faithful would love to forget. He remains in the mix to be a top prospect in the upcoming NFL Draft, but don't rule out Iamaleava yet. He has struggled to gain traction during the start of the campaign with UCLA, but their entire program is in shambles. They gutted their coaching staff, and the talent around him is sparse.
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Getting a signature win over a highly ranked team like Penn State must have caught the eyes of Steelers' scouts attending your games. Iamaleava had a terrific day, and the Nittany Lions had no answers for the former sought-after recruit. He produced magnificent numbers on the day. He tallied 166 yards through the air, 128 yards on the ground, and a whopping total of five touchdowns.
Penn State certainly looked out of sorts, but Iamaleava found his groove in this game and never took his foot off the gas.
He showed the type of talent he is, and that put Pittsburgh on notice. Thus far, the Bruins' starting quarterback has produced a respectable stat sheet to start his career at UCLA, but his game against Penn State was on another level. It surely impressed those in the stadium.
It’s hard to imagine the Steelers showing interest in Iamaleava as a potential top pick in the upcoming draft. He needs to maintain this momentum if he hopes to improve his draft stock. After all, UCLA holds a record of 1-4, which is never a good thing for a quarterback wanting to become a starter in the NFL. All the tools are in his hands; now it’s time to make the most of them.