The 2026 NFL Draft will be held in Pittsburgh, and with the Pittsburgh Steelers holding 12 draft picks, it seems obvious that the franchise will be well-positioned to select its franchise quarterback of the future, regardless of their initial selection spot.
The 2026 class of quarterbacks is certainly enticing, even if Arch Manning isn’t in the class, as previously expected. Still, each of those promising young signal callers needs to put in a healthy and productive 2025 season to confirm their status as first-round locks.
But that requires patience, and it’s always draft season in the NFL. Bleacher Report's most recent mock, with a bit more context around the class and a bit more time in the film room, landed the Steelers their next hopeful franchise quarterback.
Steelers could land the QB who changes everything in 2026
Bleacher Report selected Penn State quarterback Drew Allar with the No. 19 overall selection for Pittsburgh, a position that would indicate that the Steelers fared no better than another one-and-done appearance in the postseason. Still, Allar is one of the prime candidates to be a front-runner in the 2026 class and would certainly be an exciting selection for Pittsburgh.
Last season, Allar led the Nittany Lions to a program-best 13 wins and nearly led the program to its first national championship game appearance since the inception of College Football Playoffs. He threw 3,327 yards on 66.5% completion percentage with 24 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He also rushed for 302 yards and six scores.
Allar figures to be hard-pressed to replicate his success as he lost his primary weapon, tight end Tyler Warren, to the NFL, and the program is still waiting for a true difference maker at wide receiver. Nonetheless, as Daniel Jeremiah pointed out in a recent scouting report for Allar, the senior QB still needs to refine his consistency on routine plays.
READ MORE: Fearless boom-or-bust predictions for every Steelers 2025 draft pick
Still, Allar has the makeup of a Steelers quarterback. He’s elusive enough as a runner and has the build to command a franchise in the AFC North, standing 6-5 and 236 pounds. Some Steelers fans may be more intrigued by players such as Garrett Nussmeier, LaNorris Sellers, or Cade Klubnik (all of whom were selected before Allar in the mock), but Allar is far from a consolation prize if he ends up being the pick next April.
Interestingly enough, the Steelers have never selected a Penn State quarterback in the draft, though they have selected six from Pittsburgh, with little success. After famously missing out on Pittsburgh’s most famous quarterback product, it may be wise not to pass up on another promising Keystone prospect if they have the chance to pick Allar in 2026.