Former Penn State quarterback Drew Allar remains one of the most polarizing prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft.
That reputation was reinforced again in ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler’s recent reporting, where one anonymous NFL coordinator offered a blunt but revealing assessment of Allar’s outlook at the next level.
“He’s my favorite quarterback in the draft outside of Mendoza,” the coordinator told Fowler. “In the right system, he can be great. He’s got everything as far as tools. His footwork is an absolute mess. But improve his footwork and he can take off. He deserved better than what he got at Penn State.”
That quote says a lot.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.For one, it reflects the split evaluation that has followed Allar throughout the pre-draft process. On one hand, he still has the traits evaluators covet most. At 6-foot-5 and 228 pounds, Allar has prototypical NFL size, a big-time arm, intelligence, and plenty of experience after making 35 starts at Penn State. The tools are obvious, and they are why some evaluators still believe he can eventually become an NFL starter.
On the other hand, the concerns are real. Allar’s mechanics, especially his footwork, have consistently come up as one of the biggest issues in his draft evaluation. His decision-making in big moments has also drawn scrutiny, and his stock did not get any help when he fractured his ankle midway through his final season and spent the following months rehabbing.
If Allar had cleaned up his footwork and played with greater consistency, he might have entered this draft cycle as a first-round lock. Instead, he enters it as one of the most debated quarterbacks on the board, a prospect with undeniable tools and equally clear flaws. That is what makes him such a fascinating evaluation.
