Penn State's Drew Allar Named One of College Football's Top 10 Returning Quarterbacks

Penn State quarterback Drew Allar had an expectedly uneven season as a first-year starter, shining in ball protection but wavering in some other statistical categories that define a game-changing quarterback. The expectations, high as they were last season for the sophomore, won't fade in 2024.

According to Pro Football Focus, Allar is the eighth-ranked returning quarterback in college football and the highest-ranked Big Ten quarterback who played in the conference last season. In fact, he's the only returning Big Ten quarterback among the top 10. Oregon's Dillon Gabriel ranks No. 2 behind Georgia's Carson Beck, but the Ducks are in their inaugural Big Ten season, and Gabriel played for Oklahoma last year.

Pro Football Focus likes a lot of what Allar brings back to Penn State football in 2024: his touchdown/interception ratio (25/2), his top-20 grade in 2023 and his fit with new Penn State offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki. And the site noted clearly that the passing game's struggles fell far beyond Allar's shoulders.

"Allar’s placement on this list will no doubt be a controversial one, as many were disappointed by the sophomore’s numbers this season," PFF writes. What the box score won’t tell you though is how hamstrung he was by his supporting cast."

According to PFF, Penn State finished with the fifth-worst drop rate nationally (10.8 percent), and Allar saw pressure within 2.5 seconds on more than 20 percent of his dropbacks. Further, according to Sports Info Solutions, Penn State tied Wisconsin with the most drops in the Big Ten last fall (29) and left Allar under pressure on 29 percent of his dropbacks.

Allar gets a fresh start with Kotelnicki and incoming receiver Julian Fleming, who has made a smooth transition after four years at Ohio State. Considering all that, PFF is willing to give Allar a second look.

"If Penn State’s supporting cast is elevated by Kotelnicki’s arrival," PFF writes, "Allar has the requisite talent to climb this list and be one of the top quarterback prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft."