CFB analyst snubs Penn State star Drew Allar from top 10 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft, predicts landing spot

College football analysts Max Chadwick and Dalton Wasserman don't expect Penn State Nittany Lions starting quarterback Drew Allar to be a top-10 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Allar opted to return to Penn State in 2025, in large part so he can boost his draft stock, as well as have a chance to win a national title. The 2026 NFL Draft is expected to be a much better quarterback draft class featuring the likes of Allar, Garrett Nussemeier, and even possibly Arch Manning.

However, even before a snap of the 2025 college football season has happened, the analysts shared an early mock draft and don't have Allar going in the top-10.

Instead, the PFF analysts have Allar going 14th overall to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

"Aside from a dismal performance against Notre Dame, in which he got little help from his wide receivers, Allar had another excellent season as Penn State’s starter last year," the analysts wrote. "He is an excellent protector of the football, with a career 1.5% turnover-worthy play rate, and has a cannon arm that he uses to sling passes down the middle of the field. If Penn State can find him some legitimate help on the outside, Allar is poised to bring the Nittany Lions back to the playoff."

Allar falling outside of the top 10 seems like a surprise. Given that quarterbacks always tend to go early in the draft, Allar seems likely to be a top-10, if not top-five pick, especially if he leads Penn State back to the playoffs.

Allar went 262-for-394 for 3,327 yards, 24 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions last season with the Nittany Lions.

Drew Allar calls it a 'football decision' to return to Penn State

Drew Allar is back as the Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback.

Allar could've been a first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, but he opted to return to college football and he said it was a football decision.

"For me peronally, it was a football decision, and that's how I have always been operating," Allar said, via SI. "Me and my family had extensive talks about it and weighed everything, and personally I came to the conclusion myself that I feel like it's best for my future.

"But honestly, I'm glad I got this out of the way because I'm totally focused on SMU and, respectfully, this is the last time I really want to talk about it. But it was a personal and football decision, and I felt like it was in my best interest [to return]."

Allar enters the 2025 college football season with the third-best odds of winning the Heisman at +1000. Penn State also has the fourth-best odds of winning the national title.

Allar and Penn State will open their season on Aug. 30 against Nevada.