The Pittsburgh Steelers are in a massive quarterback conundrum. A draft class that was expected to be loaded with great prospects is instead one of the worst passer groups we have seen in a long time. There is a realistic chance that only one of those prospects gets selected in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, and it would likely be the first overall pick. Free agency is not much better at that position either. For a team that is desperate for any sort of quarterback help, there are not many answers.
Sebastian Foltz / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Steelers QB Will Howard getting reps in during 2025 minicamp.
During his weekly Q&A chat, insider Ray Fittipaldo was asked about one prospect in particular: Drew Allar, who played for the Penn State Nittany Lions. While a lot of people have been down on him, there is still the possibility that his upside leads to him getting selected. Fittipaldo also threw out the idea of the Steelers taking a shot at Allar in the middle rounds.
"[Drew Allar]'s a wild card in this draft. I'm sure there will be some coach who will see his size and arm strength and think they can get more out of him," Fittipaldo said. "I'm guessing he goes in the second round, or early third round... Why not [draft him in the third or fourth round]? Keep taking QBs until you find one."
2025 was supposed to be the year that Allar took that next step forward and cemented himself as a first-round quarterback. However, neither he nor Penn State played well that year. He never got a chance to rebound from his rough start to the season, as a broken ankle ended his season after just six games. He is now seen as a very risky project quarterback that will take multiple years to develop.
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Penn State QB Drew Allar getting ready to throw the football.
Fittipaldo has a point, though. The Steelers have no plan at quarterback, so why not use a mid-round pick to get him, especially since they have 12 total selections in the draft. They will likely have three third-round picks, so one of those could be used on this high-risk, high-reward project.
Steelers Should Be Set Up Well To Develop A Project Quarterback Like Allar
The Steelers hired Mike McCarthy to be their head coach with the goal of him helping develop a young quarterback into a quality starter. They can't just expect him to turn a sixth-round low-ceiling backup into a Top 10 passer in the league. They need to give McCarthy more to work with, even if the odds are stacked against the prospect. If he is truly some master quarterback-whisperer, he can take a high-reward guy and get him to his ceiling.
As Fittipaldo mentioned, Allar does have the body of a quality NFL quarterback, and strength to showcase. However, his mechanics and ability to read the defense are not there if you ask many pundits. The good thing is that that is all coachable. Spending a couple of years on the bench and learning the basics could be exactly what he needs to develop properly and finally be the answer that the Steelers have been looking for since 2022.
Dallas Morning News
Former Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy (right) speaking with quarterback Dak Prescott (left) in an NFL game during his time as coach in Dallas.
At this point, the Steelers just need to try something. Signing veteran past-their-prime bridge quarterbacks has not worked in previous seasons, and it will likely not lead Pittsburgh anywhere but back to constant mediocrity at best. A bad plan is still better than no plan at all. It's not like they are going to just luck into a generational talent at pick 21 in 2027 or beyond. They have to be proactive.
What do you think about the Steelers taking a flier on QB Drew Allar and developing him to be the future franchise quarterback in Pittsburgh? Let us know in the comments or on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.
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