Most fans were shocked when the Pittsburgh Steelers used a third-round pick on a quarterback, especially when that player was Drew Allar.
Allar is viewed as a high-ceiling prospect, but he remains a raw talent with significant development ahead of him. He was widely considered a reach at pick No. 76 overall, and Pittsburgh could look foolish if he fails to develop as planned. Head coach Mike McCarthy is putting his reputation on the line with the selection of Allar.
During rookie minicamp, very little information typically reaches the public. A few videos and photos surfaced of the rookie class wearing their new Steelers gear, which is always fun to see. However, the rookie minicamp is usually uneventful overall.
Still, Allar attracted plenty of camera attention throughout the weekend.
Drew Allar on the field at Steelers rookie minicamp. Mike McCarthy and Tom Arth were honing in on the QB’s footwork for much of today. pic.twitter.com/LOpD7UTHlG
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) May 9, 2026
As shown in a video posted by ESPN’s Brooke Pryor on X, Allar still has a long way to go before being considered for a starting role.
Both McCarthy and quarterbacks coach Tom Arth spent extensive time working with the rookie on basic positional fundamentals. Rather than building on a failed foundation from his college days, Pittsburgh is now tasked with developing those core skills from the ground up with a raw prospect.
Pittsburgh Steelers QB Drew Allar showed at rookie minicamp that he has a lot of work to do
One key area to monitor with Drew Allar moving forward is his footwork, which both he and his coaches continue to emphasize. If that issue, along with other aspects of his game, can be corrected, the Steelers may have something to work with in the young quarterback. That said, Allar should not be viewed as someone who is ready to step onto an NFL field this season and make an impact.
His development could take a considerable amount of time.
Penn State did little to fully develop him as a player, which now puts the Steelers in a position to essentially start from scratch. The positive takeaway is that Allar showed noticeable polish in his throwing. Then again, that trait is what attracted Pittsburgh to him in the first place. He has a strong arm, but very few fundamentals to build on at this stage.
Mike McCarthy certainly has his work cut out for him with Allar, but this is nothing new for an experienced coach like him. McCarthy was brought into this role in part because of his history working with elite quarterback talent and developing players, including Brett Favre, Aaron Rodgers, and Dak Prescott. Allar still has a long road ahead, as highlighted in Brooke Pryor's post.
When it comes to the preseason, do not be surprised if Drew Allar struggles this year.
Allar still needs to clean up his footwork and other mechanics, which can feel like rewiring part of his brain. Unless he proves to be a very quick learner, the Steelers could be in for a lengthy development process with the third-round pick.
Allar may eventually grow into a starting role, but his early showings at the Pittsburgh Steelers' rookie minicamp have already raised some initial concerns.
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