What the Steelers see in Drew Allar that their own fans don't

PITTSBURGH — The task at hand for the Steelers in their host city was rather simple. Fans asked Omar Khan for a splash, and he delivered on Day 2. The front office traded up for Alabama wide receiver Germie Bernard in the second round, collecting oohs and ahhs from the record-setting crowd. The Steelers backed that selection up by taking arguably the most polarizing player in this draft class: Penn State quarterback Drew Allar.

Allar was a reach with the 76th-overall pick by most accounts. Yet, when you know, you know. The Steelers hired Mike McCarthy in the first place to develop their next franchise quarterback. So far, McCarthy has praised former Ohio State product Will Howard, who up until Friday night was deemed the savior at football's most important position and Aaron Rodgers' heir-apparent. Now, we're not so sure. But make no mistake, the Steelers see something in Allar, and they just doubled their odds at fixing an issue that has long plagued them.

The Drew Allar traits the Steelers are betting on with QB dart throw

In terms of what the Steelers see in Allar, it's all on the surface. No player in this class looks like a future All-Pro at their position more than he does. Allar's measureables, size and arm strength are the best in the 2026 NFL Draft. The Penn State product even offers some mobility the Steelers have been missing in recent years with Aaron Rodgers and Russell Wilson running the show. It's elsewhere that should concern Steelers fans.

A bet on Allar is a bet on the Steelers coaching staff. McCarthy and Arth (along with any and all Allar defenders) will likely point to Josh Allen as a classic example of what can happen when quarterback development goes right. Of course, Allen was an undisputed first-round pick, and despite playing his college football for Wyoming, had enough fundamental sense to erase many fears prior to entering the Bills building. The same cannot be said for Allar, who took a step back in his final season at Penn State and dealt with injury issues in a year he should've taken a step forward. Impressive outings in 2024 against Washington and Oregon can only take him so far.

"He's a big, strong physical player. He has big hands. He has a strong arm. He's built to last. And I think that when you're talking about playing in the elements and playing the physical brand football that it is in the AFC North, you need a guy like that. And Drew certainly fits that," Arth said in a press conference on Friday night.

Allar comes with significant risk, namely his footwork and accuracy. If you think those are some of the most important traits a quarterback can have, you'd be correct. When asked about what Allar had to improve upon before stepping foot on an NFL field, Steelers QB coach Tom Arth sounded downright giddy that the player himself was able to point out the obvious. Yes, Allar can throw the ball a country mile, but there's a good chance his flaws aren't fixable.

Steelers fans weren't sold on Drew Allar

Still Curtain's Josh Yourish and I asked about 10 Steelers fans to cut, bench and start Allar, Aaron Rodgers and Will Howard. While a growing number of those fans were rightly frustrated with Rodgers waiting game, even they acknowledged that the Steelers best chance at making the postseason in 2026 would come with the 42-year-old under center.

However, the looming battle between Howard and Allar as the heir-apparent in the Steelers fan zeitgeist was already making rounds just one day after the Penn State product was drafted. While one would assume Allar would have the advantage — given he played college football just a few hours away and, frankly, recency bias — you'd be surprised.

Howard, the perennial 'what if' of Pittsburgh sports, has a stranglehold on this fanbase that Allar will not loosen anytime soon. More than half of the Steelers fans asked wanted to cut Allar outright, with Rodgers finishing second in that regard.

The sentiment is a simple one: Before Allar compete for the Steelers starting job, he has to unseat Howard in training camp. That won't come easily, but should he succeed, he could get the fanbase buy-in that every young quarterback craves.

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