Just a week ago, Ben Roethlisberger raised some eyebrows with his take on the Pittsburgh Steelers drafting Drew Allar (third round, No. 76 overall) as their quarterback while Aaron Rodgers was still on the roster. He bluntly claimed there was no need to be excited about the former Penn State QB. But little did he know his stern comments would draw a strong response from Charlie Batch.

“Those Penn State alumni and everybody who is anti-Penn State are going to have to remove their egos as he now enters in Steelers Nation, and we have to give him a fair evaluation now that he’s putting on that black and gold,” Batch said during his appearance on the Up & Adams Show with Kay Adams.

According to the former football star, people will always evaluate a QB based on his decision-making skills. Most QBs put up big numbers in big games and impress the crowd. However, for Charlie Batch, the system didn’t seem to be the right fit for fully analyzing a quarterback. He referenced Allar’s costly interception in the 2025 CFP semifinal against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

The 51-year-old pointed out that raw statistics, like late-game turnovers, don’t always tell the whole story if a QB is forced to execute a flawed offensive scheme. And he looks at the story from a different perspective. He focuses more on schematics and the play design. 

“Why would you put a 4×1 into the boundary? But yet, Drew made the decision to throw it, got intercepted,” Batch continued. “So, I do have to blame coaches’ decisions on schematics, but at the end of the day, that’s why quarterbacks are criticized in the manner that they are, because of the decisions that you make. And unfortunately, he’s labeled with that. I don’t think he is that guy coming into Pittsburgh.” 

Allar’s inconsistency was also the reason why Roethlisberger expressed his uncertainty about his draft pick. Despite putting in impressive performances in 2023 and 2024, Allar faced a setback in the 2025 season. He suffered an ankle injury resulting in messy footwork, and despite having great arm strength, he made only 1,100 yards. 

“This is one I’m not sure yet if I love it or hate it,” Roethlisberger said on the Footbahlin podcast. “I don’t think this was done because they know anything about Aaron. It wasn’t like, ‘Okay, we know Aaron’s not coming. So we’re doing this.’ I think it was a ‘We liked a big physical quarterback… I don’t watch a lot of Penn State games. But when I did watch, he never really jumped off the page to me. There was never a time when I was like, ‘Whoa.’”

The 44-year-old’s impression of Allar might be affected by the fact that he played in a run-heavy offense at Penn State that heavily featured running back Kaytron Allen. But inconsistency undeniably marked Allar’s career at Penn State. Last year, he played only six games, with 64.8% of complete passes. 

But if we can look beyond last year’s records, we can understand why the Steelers wanted the 22-year-old as their third-round pick. The front office seems to see immense potential in the young QB. 

How is Drew Allar a good pick for the Pittsburgh Steelers? 

NFL Hall of Famer Kurt Warner addressed Allar’s stance on Kurt’s QB Insider series and said:

“The talent jumps off the screen when you watch this guy throw. It is effortless for him to push the ball down the field. One of the questions always with a big-armed quarterback is: can they control that big arm and become consistently accurate as a thrower? If so, this guy could become the steal of the draft and the best quarterback in this class. But that is a big if.”

Well, Allar undeniably possesses the arm strength to make a massive throw at the professional level. But his career trajectory will depend entirely on his consistency and the mental aspect of the game. Additionally, there was another reason why the Steelers drafted this young gunslinger. 

Last season, Aaron Rodgers suffered a fracture in his wrist. He avoided surgery back in November 2025, and now his stance seems uncertain. If Rodgers remains absent, Allar could emerge as a strong QB option for the Steelers. But if the veteran returns, Allar can develop under him rather than rushing into a starting role. 

By securing Allar, the Steelers have built a brilliant safety net for their franchise. Whether he steps up immediately or learns behind a legend, Pittsburgh is primed for a dynamic offensive future.