Latest news with #DrewAllar
USA Today
14 hours ago
- General
- USA Today
Previewing the 2025 season for Penn State QB Drew Allar with his player profile
Previewing the 2025 season for Penn State QB Drew Allar with his player profile Going into the 2025 football season, Nittany Lions Wire will examine each player listed on the Penn State roster. Over the preseason, each profile will cover the player's background, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school, and what role they will play for James Franklin this season. Quarterback Drew Allar returns for his fourth and likely final season as a Nittany Lion, looking to avenge last season's heartbreaking loss to Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff semifinals. With a revamped wide receiver corps via a trio of transfers, Allar has arguably the best cast of pass-catchers he's had since arriving on campus. Here's a preview of Penn State's gunslinger headed into the 2025 season. Preseason Player Profile Hometown: Medina, Ohio Height: 6-5 Weight: 236 lb Class in 2025: Senior Recruiting Rankings Class of 2022: Consensus 5-star recruit, No. 3 player, No. 1 quarterback and No. 1 recruit from Ohio per 247Sports Allar committed to Penn State as a rising 4-star recruit. The local Ohio State made a late push for Allar after his commitment, but the quarterback never wavered and became Penn State's highest ranked quarterback commitment since Christian Hackenberg in 2013. Career Stats Games Completions Attempts Yards Touchdowns 2022 10 35 60 344 4 2023 13 233 389 2,631 25 2024 16 262 394 3,327 24 Depth Chart Overview It was clear when Allar stepped on campus it wouldn't take long for him to step into the spotlight. After sitting behind sixth-year Sean Clifford for a year, Allar took the reigns and has been the starter for two seasons. Barring injury, he'll retain the starting role in 2025.
Fox News
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
Who still needs their QB of the future? 8 teams with an eye on the 2026 NFL Draft
It's no secret that next year's quarterback draft class is expected to be much better than the current one. There are more intriguing prospects, more developed talent and an overall better outlook on these prospects before they even play their potential final seasons in college. There are familiar names playing out their final years of eligibility, like LSU's Garrett Nussmeier and Penn State's Drew Allar. There are intriguing players expected to take another step forward, like South Carolina's LaNorris Sellers and Arizona State's Sam Leavitt. And then there's Texas' Arch Manning, who's made just two college starts yet is currently projected by many to go No. 1 in next year's draft. It's all welcome news for the teams across the league that need help at the position. It factored into this year's strategy, too. There were teams that took a quarterback in later rounds that shouldn't be precluded from taking another come next year. With that in mind, let's take a look at what clubs are still unresolved at the most important position in sports — and likely eyeing the top QB prospects in the 2026 class. RELATED: Ranking 2026 QB draft class: Is Arch Manning clear-cut No. 1 of a stacked bunch? This is the most obvious one, considering the Steelers still don't have an obvious starter for 2025 coming out of the draft. They're obviously holding out for Aaron Rodgers' services, but mum's the word from Rodgers. We're going on more than two months of him dragging out his decision on whether to retire, which makes it feel like the 41-year-old isn't all-in on becoming a Steeler. Even if they do end up with Rodgers, it won't be for the long term. The Steelers drafted Ohio State quarterback Will Howard in the sixth round in April. But Howard is likely just an insurance policy and not meant to fill the position long term, either. Pittsburgh has had some success despite not having stability at the quarterback position since Ben Roethlisberger, but there's been a cap on that success. The other issue is that the Steelers never finish with a losing record, so they don't ever draft high enough in the first round to take a top quarterback. After the George Pickens trade, though, Pittsburgh could finally be in position to get creative with a stockpile of picks. The move appeared at least partially motivated to move up in next year's draft. Given the state of their current QB room, spearheaded by Mason Rudolph, who's back after a one-year detour, the Steelers might be in prime position to finally take a quarterback early in next year's draft regardless. Cleveland's gross mishandling of the position has long plagued the franchise, and it seems to be getting worse. With the club still dealing with the repercussions of handing out the largest guarantee in league history to a player with even more issues off the field than on it, the Browns went and spent two mid-round picks on quarterbacks this year. General manager Andrew Berry admitted that the plan was never to take two players at the position, after drafting Dillon Gabriel in the third round and then inexplicably taking Shedeur Sanders amid his infamous slide to the fifth round. Now, the Browns have two untested rookies, Joe Flacco (who is assumed to be their starter) and Kenny Pickett, the former first-round pick that was practically given away by multiple teams and whom the Browns already declined the fifth-year option on. None of those players has trade value, much less presents an answer to Cleveland's signal-calling woes that the front office is confident in. They'll likely have to wait for next year for that. The good news is that the Browns should have every opportunity to get their preferred quarterback with not one but two first-round picks in 2026, thanks to the draft-day trade down with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Here's to hoping the front office can finally get it right next time. The Jets have given Justin Fields another chance, this time with a better offensive line and a couple of excellent weapons. But Fields' two-year contract says he's still on a trial basis in New York. It's conceivable that the Jets will be in the hunt for a new starter after this year if Fields doesn't quickly prove himself to be a viable long-term answer. The Jets have also set themselves up well to develop a young quarterback with the investments they made in the offensive line over the past two years, including Armand Membou with the No. 7 overall pick in April. They got tight end Mason Taylor to be the quarterback's best friend in the second round, too. Add in Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall in the backfield, and this could be a pretty potent offense. If Fields doesn't capitalize on it, New York will likely find itself drafting a QB with its first pick for the third time in nine years. With Derek Carr now retiring, and the Saints' hopes riding on 2024 fifth-rounder Spencer Rattler and/or second-round rookie Tyler Shough, it's not farfetched to think they could be back on the quarterback carousel next year. This makes it a near-certainty, in my book. The Saints are also in cap hell nearly every season. They need to get younger and can't really commit to a large QB contract, even if they wanted to go after a high-priced free agent. Drafting a quarterback, and saving money on a rookie contract, could prove to be their only viable long-term answer. But that's not the worst spot to be in considering how stacked next year's quarterback class is supposed to be. I don't think it's fair to say that the Anthony Richardson experiment is over, but it's certainly not looking good. Not when a 39-year-old Joe Flacco was given six of your starts last year so that you could regroup in your second season. It's also interesting that the Colts are trying their hand at reviving Daniel Jones' career and sending him into competition with Richardson in camp. Are two projects better than one? At least the Colts have options, but no one will be surprised if they're looking for a QB reset next offseason. But this is a regime needing to win now and a franchise that hasn't drafted in the top 10 the past two years because it's won a combined 17 games. In other words, the field to move up could become extremely competitive come the first night of next year's draft. The Giants have two potential starting quarterbacks, and as one of my favorites, Bruce Arians, used to tell me: "If you have two quarterbacks, you have none." Russell Wilson doesn't look to be the long-term answer. Jameis Winston probably won't be either. The Giants did just take Jaxson Dart in the first round, but that could have easily been the front office's attempt to save face. If 2025 doesn't go well in New York, and a regime change is in order, how willing would a new general manager be to stake his livelihood on a developmental QB prospect he didn't draft? The Rams will be on this list as long as Matthew Stafford is maybe in his last season. The rumors are (and have been) that Stafford has mulled retirement already. It likely means he isn't far off, and Les Snead and Sean McVay aren't the types to wait around before they come up with a contingency plan. Given the saturation of good quarterback prospects next year, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the Rams draft Stafford's heir apparent early. This might be a weird one, but the Niners still haven't paid Brock Purdy. They still have a loaded offense, if Christian McCaffrey comes back healthy, and Kyle Shanahan's offense is known for being quarterback-friendly. If they could find their current starter in the seventh round, who's to say they can't find a new one in the 2026 draft instead of annually paying Purdy $55 million-plus? Of course, this all becomes a moot point if they extend Purdy. Until then, don't rule out the Niners dabbling in the QB draft sweepstakes next April. Carmen Vitali is an NFL Reporter for FOX Sports. Carmen had previous stops with The Draft Network and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. She spent six seasons with the Bucs, including 2020, which added the title of Super Bowl Champion (and boat-parade participant) to her résumé. You can follow Carmen on Twitter at @CarmieV. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Over/Under: 10.5 Wins for Penn State Nittany Lions in 2025
The Penn State Nittany Lions made it all the way to the semifinals of the College Football Playoffs in 2024, and the hype surrounding the coming season could not be higher with the odds sitting at 10.5 games O/U. With Drew Allar returning as quarterback and another campaign with head coach James Franklin at the helm, the sky is the limit for the Nittany Lions, with many analysts (and fans) having high hopes for the program's chances in 2025. The odds for the 2025 season have now been released, and Vegas seems to have just as many high hopes for the program as everyone else. FanDuel Sportsbook has placed the team's season win total at 10.5. Advertisement The team won 13 games last year and is geared up for another stellar performance this time around. The only games that could give Penn State issues are the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Oregon Ducks. While Penn kept it close in their contests against those teams in 2024, losing by eight or fewer points in each, they have not beaten the Buckeyes since 2016, and lost to the Ducks in the Big Ten Championship game last year. They will face both teams in the regular season of 2025. It is gearing up to be another exciting season in Happy Valley. With Allar at the helm for one more bite at the apple, anything is possible.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Gorney's predictions: Jackson Cantwell, Drew Allar, Clemson winning it all
Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney has three predictions on Drew Allar's draft status, Clemson's upbeat expectations and five-star offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell. MORE GORNEY: Recruiting rumor mill CLASS OF 2025 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State CLASS OF 2026 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State CLASS OF 2027 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State TRANSFER PORTAL: Full coverage | Player ranking | Team ranking | Transfer search | Transfer Tracker 1. DREW ALLAR WILL BE FIRST QB DRAFTED AP Advertisement Yahoo Sports' Nate Tice released his top 25 Big Board for the 2026 NFL Draft and he did not have Penn State quarterback Drew Allar included. Four quarterbacks made the list in Indiana's Fernando Mendoza, South Carolina's LaNorris Sellers, LSU's Garrett Nussmeier and Clemson's Cade Klubnik. No Arch Manning. But also no Allar and that seems like a missed opportunity. Allar was a four-star prospect for Rivals but should have been higher because he had such a great arm coming out of high school and has become one of the best college quarterbacks even without a huge supporting cast. Remember, in Penn State's 23-20 loss to Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff semifinal, no Nittany Lions receiver had a catch. Allar, who did throw a bad interception to give the Irish the win, was not working with Ohio State's receiving corps. Maybe not even Ohio's. But he's made it work. Allar completed more than 66 percent of his passes last season for more than 3,300 yards and 24 touchdowns. He led Penn State to the Final Four of College Football. His receiving corps mainly through the portal will be much better this year and Penn State could be the No. 1 team in preseason polls. Advertisement Allar is trending up and that should only continue through the pre-draft process. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH PENN STATE FANS AT 2. CLEMSON WILL WIN THE NATTY USA TODAY Over the last decade, the only teams to win multiple national championships are Alabama, Georgia and Clemson. The Tigers haven't won one since 2018 and some argue that the program has taken a step back. Let's see if that talk sustains after 2025. Former five-stars Cade Klubnik and defensive tackle Peter Woods look like first-round locks for the NFL Draft. TJ Parker, who was a fringe five-star prospect, could end up going in the first as well, especially if he continues to play so well. Advertisement The Tigers have an elite quarterback, super talented receivers, a solid offensive line and then the front seven might be the best in the country. Clemson is just absolutely loaded on the defensive line and at linebacker. Some key transfer additions on defense including Purdue's Will Heldt and Alabama's Jeremiah Alexander, another former five-star who hasn't lived up to expectations yet, could have dominant seasons as well. Another national championship is within striking distance and the Tigers should be the favorite. If that happens, Clemson would be the only team with three in the last decade. Clemson falling off? The Tigers never left. MORE CLEMSON: Commitment list for 2026 class SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH CLEMSON FANS AT 3. CANTWELL IS HEADED TO THE DAWGS On Thursday, there was a coordinated effort by former Miami stars including Bryant McKinnie to contact five-star Jackson Cantwell on social media and tell him about playing for the Hurricanes. Cantwell, in pure Midwest form, responded to each gracefully and thanked them for hitting him up. Advertisement The Nixa, Mo., standout will make his announcement on Tuesday. Cantwell, ranked atop the 2026 Rivals250, is also coming off an excellent visit back to Oregon as the Ducks try to get some recruiting momentum after missing out on five-star quarterback Jared Curtis, four-star receiver Kayden Dixon-Wyatt and others. But in the closing days, despite the best efforts of others, I still have Cantwell headed to Georgia. From early in his recruitment, Cantwell and his coach have talked about them choosing the right place for his NFL development. He sees what Georgia has done, what the Bulldogs produce every year in the NFL Draft and the high expectations placed on players to win at the highest level in Athens. That doesn't scare him off. It draws him in. And those are just some of the reasons why Georgia lands the No. 1 player. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH GEORGIA FANS AT
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Updated Preseason College Football Rankings Feature New No. 1 Team
A new team sits above the rest in ESPN's updated college football rankings following spring practice and the closing of the spring transfer window. The Ohio State Buckeyes previously led the country at No. 1 after an impressive College Football Playoff run culminated with the program's ninth national championship and first under head coach Ryan Day. Advertisement However, Ohio State losing offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, defensive coordinator Jim Knowles and a slew of star players to the 2025 NFL draft has caused the Buckeyes to slide to No. 5 in ESPN's rankings from Mark Schlabach. Moving up one spot from the previous rankings is Georgia, now No. 4, after the Bulldogs signed a top-three high school class and added multiple top transfer players during the spring. The Bulldogs are coming off a third SEC championship and fourth playoff appearance under head coach Kirby Smart. Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Wachter-Imagn Images Sliding down one spot to No. 3 is Texas, which finished one game shy of a national title appearance. Advertisement Head coach Steve Sarkisian's Longhorns will feature former five-star recruit Arch Manning at quarterback after the loss of experienced starter Quinn Ewers to the NFL. Additionally, Texas has to replace its top three pass-catchers from last season. The biggest mover within the top 10 is Clemson and head coach Dabo Swinney. The Tigers were previously ranked No. 7 before jumping to No. 2 in the updated rankings. Coming off an ACC championship and playoff berth, Clemson returns start quarterback Cade Klubnik and multiple weapons on the outside. The Tigers also plucked acclaimed defensive coordinator Tom Allen from Penn State. Penn State Nittany Lions QB Drew Allar (15) throws a pass during the first quarter against the SMU O'Haren-Imagn Images That leaves a new program at the top spot in the Penn State Nittany Lions, which jumped from No. 3 in the post-spring rankings. Advertisement Head coach James Franklin and Co. set a program record with 13 wins and their first playoff appearance in school history. The Nittany Lions' three-point loss to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish ultimately kept a title shot out of reach. Looking ahead to the 2025 season, Penn State returns a plethora of offensive talent in star quarterback Drew Allar and a two-headed monster at tailback in Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen. Notable spring additions came at a position of need, including wide receivers Trebor Pena (Syracuse), Devonte Ross (Troy) and Kyron Hudson (USC). "After finally turning the corner under coach James Franklin in 2024, the Nittany Lions look loaded for bear this coming season," Schlabach wrote. "With Allar, Allen and Singleton returning, Penn State should have one of the most balanced offenses in the FBS, especially if Allar takes the next step as a downfield passer." Advertisement Additionally, the Nittany Lions added Knowles from Ohio State to coordinate the defense. And Penn State signed defensive ends Owen Wafle (Michigan) and Enai White (Texas A&M) to help fill the void on the edge left by No. 3 overall pick Abdul Carter. Penn State will open the 2025 season at home against Nevada on Aug. 30. Related: ESPN Names Last Season's Luckiest College Football Team Related: Miami Legend Sends Strong Message to Nation's No. 1 Prospect After NIL Rumors
