Many questioned the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ pick of Penn State quarterback Drew Allar in the third round. With Mason Rudolph and Will Howard already on the roster, and Aaron Rodgers possibly returning, the franchise has a stacked quarterback room. However, it seemed like head coach Mike McCarthy didn’t want to miss the opportunity to train a promising young quarterback like Allar, who earned a lot of praise from an NFL Hall of Famer.
“Now, when you watch him, you may say he is the most gifted thrower in this entire draft, even ahead of [Fernando] Mendoza and [Ty] Simpson, who I do know are ranked way higher,” said Kurt Warner after watching Allar playing on tape before the draft. “He is a naturally gifted thrower with a big arm. There is not a throw on the football field that this guy can’t make. It’s going to intrigue a lot of scouts to say, ‘Hey, we believe with this talent we can turn this guy into a superstar at the next level.’”
Kurt Warner’s bold claim may not seem preposterous if you look at what he was able to do in college. Warner praised his “cannon” arm, known for making long and accurate throws.
Moreover, the NFL Hall of Famer trained Mendoza a couple of years back. So, Warner knows who he is weighing Allar against. Coming to Simpson, he has only 15 starts in college, compared to Allar’s 35 starts. The latter has clearly more experience as a starter. However, it all depends on how well the Steelers do in helping him to reach his untapped ceiling.
“Obviously, the talent jumps off the screen when you watch this guy throw,” Warner said regarding Allar’s rare talent. “It is effortless for him to push the football down the field. One of the questions always with a big-arm quarterback is whether they can control that big arm and become consistently accurate as a thrower. If so, this guy could end up becoming the steal of this draft. He could become the best quarterback in this class, but that is a big if.”
Having a big arm means Allar can be more susceptible to fatigue and potential injury. Furthermore, consistency and decision-making are a huge part of being a top quarterback in the league. Both of these are lacking in Allar’s case.
Two years back, he was regarded as the best the NCAA had to offer. But a few bad decisions changed his trajectory. During the 2025 Orange Bowl, his decision to snap the ball instead of passing to the running back cost the Nittany Lions the game. Notre Dame cornerback Christian Gray intercepted his pass to wide receiver Omari Evans from the 15-yard line.
These mistakes earned him a lot of criticism. However, it’s all in the past. Now, he is in the NFL and can work on his decision-making skills and consistency. He had already earned the blessings of a former Super Bowl winner, while people have started comparing him to another Super Bowl winner.
Drew Allar is being compared to Joe Flacco
Kurt Warner has already given his verdict on the Pittsburgh Steelers‘ rookie quarterback Drew Allar. Following the surprise pick, even ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler acknowledged that he is a top talent and possesses similar qualities to Joe Flacco.
“With third-round quarterback Drew Allar, the Steelers are betting big on coach Mike McCarthy’s quarterback development to fix Allar’s footwork. ‘He’s really got a good feel for what that takes,’ a team source said of McCarthy’s touch in this area. Pittsburgh believes Allar has similar arm talent to a young Joe Flacco,” wrote Jeremy Fowler.
Joe Flacco was often praised for his long and accurate throws, which became the cornerstone of the Baltimore Ravens‘ offense during his prime. Despite being praised for having one of the strongest arms in the league, his footwork was sloppy, as he failed to consistently step into throws and often threw off his back foot.
Allar also possesses similar qualities. Allar has the stats to back his talent. In 45 games, he totaled 7,402 passing yards and 61 touchdown passes while completing almost 63% of his passes. As a rushing QB, he added 732 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns in 224 attempts.
Now, he needs proper guidance to leave an impact in the NFL. He has a veteran in Mason Rudolph, who could help him get better. Moreover, if Aaron Rodgers returns, it could prove to be great for Allar, who already has a lot of admirers in the league.
