At the start of the season, many scouts thought the 2026 NFL Draft would have one of the best groups of quarterback prospects to enter the league in a long time. With each passing week, it seems that their projection only gets worse. This group of players continues to be held back by either poor performance from once highly touted recruits or by injuries. It could leave the Pittsburgh Steelers in a tough spot.
Since Aaron Rodgers remains the starting quarterback, it is unknown if he will return next season. He is off to a terrific start, but the Steelers are focused on scouting as many quarterbacks as possible for the upcoming Draft. No matter the ups and downs of this group, they are committed to trying to locate a franchise player at the position this spring. That could be a disastrous move.
Penn State football is currently in a difficult and potentially toxic situation following the dismissal of head coach James Franklin. They head into this weekend with three losses in a row, and their star quarterback, Drew Allar, just suffered a season-ending injury. He was envisioned as a possible riser on draft boards heading into the season, but things have quickly taken an ugly turn.
Pittsburgh Steelers top QB prospect Drew Allar's injury could have effect on draft plans
Allar and Penn State have suffered an underwhelming season compared to how many regarded them going into the campaign.
Allar was expected to contend for the top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, while the Nittany Lions were projected to remain in the National Championship conversation. Neither of those two will happen this year, and for Allar, he could struggle to get selected in the draft.
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It's possible that the Penn State signal caller will do his best to earn another year of eligibility. That way, he can transfer from Penn State and work to rebuild his draft stock next year. If they decline, a bumpy last season coming off a massive injury will limit his chances in the draft process. His draft stock could take a significant hit.
Pittsburgh attended many Penn State games this season, and all eyes were on Allar.
The prospect was frequently compared to Ben Roethlisberger due to his size and arm strength. You could see the similarities when they played, but the Nittany Lions' gunslinger didn't have the same clutch gene that Big Ben had. Allar struggled in the biggest moments in games throughout his career with the Nittany Lions.
The Steelers must be bummed out with the prospect's injury diagnosis. They clearly liked to scout him closely, but this might have done them a favor. Allar has yet to demonstrate that he’s ready to be a franchise quarterback in the NFL. He would need at least a year or two on the bench before he had a realistic shot at panning out. You can cross him off the list of possibilities in the draft.