In the wonderful land of odds, Penn State QB Drew Allar is among the favorites to be the No. 1 pick in next yearโs Draft.
Per the Bovada Sportsbook, Allar has the second-best odds of going No. 1.
The only one with higher odds is Texas QB Arch Manning, and the gap isnโt too wide.
Manningโs odds of going No. 1 are +200. Allarโs are +225. Two more quarterbacks in LSUโs Garrett Nussmeier (+450) and Clemsonโs Cade Klubnik (+1800) round out the top four.
Quarterback is kind of an important position, so it should come as no surprise that four QBs have the best odds of going No. 1 overall.
HOW REALISTIC IS IT?
Photo by Matt Lynch, Nittany Sports Now: Drew Allar
So how realistic is it for Allar to go No. 1 overall?
Well, the tools have always been there. Allarโs frame (6-foot-5, 236 pounds) and rocket throwing arm are what made him the top QB in the country coming out of high school and arguably the most anticipated QB recruit in Penn State history. His numbers through two seasons starting at Penn State (49 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, 63% completion rate) are also solid.
The biggest question surrounding Allar is his ability to perform in big games. Against conference foes Ohio State and Michigan, Allar and Penn State are 0-3. Allar also threw costly interceptions in Penn Stateโs Big Ten Championship Game loss to Oregon and its Orange Bowl/College Football Playoff semifinal loss to Notre Dame.
Allar will have plenty of opportunities to step up in that department this season. If he does, that will go a long way toward improving his draft stock.
WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN?
On an unrelated note, the guy with the fifth-highest odds to go No. 1 is Clemson DE TJ Parker. Parker was initially committed to Penn State.
Tomarrion Parker’s High School Coach Talks About Penn State’s Latest Commit
Although the excellence of Abdul Carter and Dani Dennis-Sutton on the EDGEs havenโt left Penn State longing for a star DE, itโs interesting to think about what the defensive line might look like had Parker stayed committed.
Regardless of draft odds, Penn State opens the 2025 regular season Aug. 30 against Nevada at Beaver Stadium.
