Drew Allar returned to Penn State instead of entering the 2025 Draft, aiming to level up his stock. But an ankle injury ruined his plans. Entering the NFL Combine in 2026, he was weighed down by doubts. One big-stage showing, however, allowed Allar to let go of all the questions. Even then, a present NFL quarterback’s fate, who walked the same path as Allar, comes as a warning. 

“A lot of quarterbacks that really stole the show for me, like I mentioned a little bit briefly, were guys like Drew Aller from Penn State, Garrett Nussmeier looked okay as well,” said Jets Media analyst Richie Mollura. “Drew Allar is just honing in on him real quick. Big arm was on full display all day long. Deep throw accuracy, the ball just flew out of his hand.

“Someone who should have been a first-round pick last year. Decided to stay in Penn State, which he shouldn’t have. He fell apart in the big games and got injured. So his draft stock plummeted, but I think today helped his draft stock personally.”

CBS Sports reported that Allar did not participate in on-field testing, which means he had been mainly judged by his throwing ability. He got off to a shaky start, missing out on routes and struggling with mechanics. Along with this, his lower-body timing was off, making some throws look forced. But as reps added up, he got comfortable. Allar closed the session with crisp throws and his best performance in the latter half. This must be a big morale boost for the Nittany Lions quarterback.

Committing to the 2026 NFL Draft, Allar might have walked in with deep regret. He had the golden ticket in his hand, but he had let go of it. Back in December 2024, Allar told Penn State he would come back for another run, pre-playoffs. That decision paid off, as his draft profile was boosted with a CFP appearance. 

News served to you like never before!

Prefer us on Google, To get latest news on feed

Prefer Us on Google

In three high-stakes games, SMU, Boise State, and the narrow Orange Bowl semifinal loss to Notre Dame, Allar threw for 433 yards and three touchdowns. But even then, he chose to return for yet another year in college. That turned out to be a big blunder. 

In 2025, he was limited to six game appearances. Back in October, he fell prey to a season-ending injury in the team’s loss to Northwestern. Down 22-21 with less than four minutes on the clock, Allar tried to make magic happen for Penn State, but fate had other plans. Scrambling for a first down, he was sandwiched by two defenders and went down, grabbing his ankle in pain. Allar was sidelined for the rest of the season after undergoing surgery days later.

While the Penn State quarterback is finally finding his rhythm on the big stage, fans can’t help but connect his journey with the BYU Cougars’ Zach Wilson. 

Drew Allar’s path to the NFL Combine mirrors that of Zach Wilson.

As for Allar, the NFL Combine was the first big stage after his ankle injury. It was a similar position for Wilson as well. Wilson had a history of injuries before his pro-day performance. For Allar, teams would not have official combine metrics like the 40-yard dash, shuttle runs, or vertical jump. Similarly, Wilson, too, did not take part in the traditional drills. However, that could not stop him from finding a home in the pro league.

“There is no better example of how a couple of flicks of the wrist can raise your draft stock like what happened with Zach Wilson back in 2021,” the WHTM-abc27 News analyst joined the dots. “There were no on-field workouts during the NFL combine, so his Pro Day became everything, and one pass turned him into the number two overall pick. Drew Aller will hope for a similar boost when he works out in front of scouts on Saturday.”

Wilson was always projected as a top-5 pick. But nobody pegged him to go as high as second. Wilson rewrote the narrative with a jaw-dropping pro day on March 26. The New York Jets selected him as the No. 2 overall pick. While this story might inspire Allar, hoping to be a top-five pick, at present, Wilson found himself in trouble. 

“QB Zach Wilson’s contract is set to void today, leaving behind $3.8M of dead cap with the #Dolphins in 2026,” reported Sportrac. “Wilson took 26 snaps for Miami last season, reeling in $6M as the QB2.”

Presently playing for the Miami Dolphins, signing a $6 million contract to back up Tua Tagovailoa, he has run out of his deal. If Allar is drafted by a team that already has an established starter, he might end up in a limited role, just like Wilson did in Miami. Can the Penn State quarterback survive with few throws and a ticking clock?