It started off like any other draft year. Hype. Smoke. Rumors. Then chaos. And by the time the dust cleared, man, it looked like somebody dropped a grenade in the quarterback room. Shedeur Sanders, once floated as QB2 and a potential top-five lock? He slid all the way to pick No. 144. Undrafted? Cobee Bryant. And Quinn Ewers? Dipped out early and got slapped with a 7th-round label. But the real tea? The Browns grabbed Dillon Gabriel in the third… only to snag Shedeur in the fifth. But here’s the real kicker: Drew Allar, chilling in college, might’ve flipped this whole thing on its head without even taking one snap in the league. And the whispers? They’re starting to sound more like facts.

See, the Browns originally had the No. 2 pick. Word on the street (and from draft lord Dane Brugler) is that Drew Allar—if he declared—was the lock at No. 2. Cleveland kid. 6’5″, 238 pounds. Cannon for an arm. Local hero story just waiting to be written. But instead, the Browns moved back to 5. Picked Michigan DT Mason Graham. Then they took Dillon Gabriel in the third. Then they threw a flyer on Shedeur in the fifth like they were collecting QBs like Pokémon cards. Look, what if Allar had been there? What if he pulled a Caleb Williams and bounced early? What if the Browns passed on Gabriel and just bet it all on the hometown kid?

“Had Allar declared for the 2025 NFL Draft, he might’ve been the No. 2 pick to his hometown Browns. But he stayed to develop. If he keeps trending, he’s a top-five lock next April.” Brugler wrote. Hold up. Look. Drew Allar not showing up basically dominoed Dillon into Cleveland’s arms, shoved Shedeur down to pick 144, and flipped Quinn’s whole life upside down? It’s giving LeBron-to-Cavs energy, but instead of fireworks, it’s just smoke and confused front offices.

If Drew Allar had thrown his name in the 2025 draft hat, the Cleveland Browns wouldn’t have even thought about trading back to 5. They’d have snatched him up at No. 2 overall—no questions asked—and left that Dillon Gabriel pick in the dust. But here’s the twist: at 5, they might have circled back and scooped up Shedeur Sanders too. Sounds wild? Not really. Just ask the 2012 Washington squad that took RG3 at No. 2 and still drafted Kirk Cousins in the 4th.

Let’s talk facts. This past season, Allar threw for 3,327 yards, 24 TDs, and just 8 picks. Quiet killer vibes. Vegas got him at +1400 for the Heisman heading into 2025. That’s right behind Nussmeier, Klubnik, Arch, and the alien known as Jeremiah Smith. But don’t sleep. He’s got that Andrew Luck mixed with prime Josh Allen flavor. And unlike half the portal-hopping QBs, he’s riding it out with Penn State.

Drew Allar says Penn State’s culture keeps players from transferring

Back in Happy Valley, it’s all calm. Allar’s throne is untouched. Despite portal chaos, Allar stayed planted. “It’s really a shoutout to coach Franklin and the culture that he’s built,” he told reporters. You’d think he’s running for mayor the way he’s selling Penn State’s values. It’s not just him either. Tight end Tyler Warren echoed the script at his Colts presser: “That’s where I wanted to be… I consider myself a Penn Stater. And besides what the school stands for and the tradition we have, just the people that were there, it’s where I wanted to be ultimately. That’s where I made my commitment to and where I wanted to stay for my college career.”

What’s wild is, despite portal fever across the country, Franklin’s Nittany Lions don’t chase shiny toys. They don’t lose captains. They build from within. While schools like Colorado turned over their rosters like laundry, Penn State’s over here, sipping tea and stacking wins. Over the past three years, they’ve barely lost any starters to the portal—wide receiver being the one real exception. Four starting-caliber wideouts, including recent NFL Draft pick KeAndre Lambert-Smith, hit the exit in the last two seasons. But Penn State replaced them tit for tat, pulling in four new receivers through the portal. They only lost backup QB Beau Pribula to Missouri. Everybody else? Locked in.

Drew Allar doubled down on James Franklin’s culture: “From the time I was a recruit, I could really feel the culture that was here, it was player-led, and also the relationships between the players and the coaches. So I think we’re a relationship-based program and a culture, I think that shows. We’re a program that’s going to be honest with you and help give you every single resource possible to achieve your dreams, whether that’s on the field or off the field. So it’s really a shoutout to coach Franklin and the culture that he’s built and also the players continuing to drive it and make it better each day.” 

Outside of a few role players chasing more snaps or better NIL bags, most portal exits from Happy Valley haven’t hit too hard. And the guys coming in? They’re more about filling key gaps—like on the D-line or at receiver—than making flashy headlines. It’s a low-drama, high-discipline approach that mirrors Franklin’s style. He’s not anti-portal, but he’s not building a rental squad either. Just solid, selective moves to keep the Nittany Lions locked in.

Anyway? The Browns got 2 gamble-tier QBs, a front office with whiplash, and a fanbase wondering “what if.” Meanwhile, Drew Allar’s out here doing media rounds, preaching loyalty, and loading up for a Heisman run. Was this a coincidence or a silent kill? Either way, Allar just reminded everybody that sometimes the most dangerous move… is staying put.