Penn State quarterback Drew Allar was among the latest draft prospects hosted by the Pittsburgh Steelers for an official visit.
Allar joined Arizona cornerback/safety Treydan Stukes as guests at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on Wednesday.
Penn State’s starter for three seasons and blessed with ideal size and arm strength, Allar is in the running to be the third quarterback off the board when the draft commences next week in Pittsburgh. Though Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza almost assuredly will be the first pick and Alabama’s Ty Simpson might also go in the first round, Allar could be a Day 2 selection amidst a group that includes Miami’s Carson Beck and LSU’s Garrett Nussmeier.
Beck, Arkansas’ Taylen Green and North Dakota State’s Cole Payton previously were quarterbacks who made so-called “top 30” visits to the Steelers. Nussmeier and Simpson had sitdowns with the Steelers at the NFL combine in February.
At 6-foot-5, 228 pounds with 32 ¾-inch arms and 9 7/8-inch hands, the Ohio native Allar is among the physically biggest passers available in the draft. New Steelers coach Mike McCarthy and general manager Omar Khan have repeatedly said that they covet a so-called “AFC North” QB capable of braving the winter elements.
Allar was a five-star recruit and regarded as the top quarterback in the country coming out of high school. After playing sparingly as a true freshman in 2022, Allar started Penn State’s next 35 games from 2023 until the midway point of last season when he suffered a season-ending ankle injury in October.
Throughout his college career, Allar completed 63.2% of his passes with a 61:13 touchdown to interception ratio in helping guide the Nittany Lions to the 2024 season College Football Playoff semifinals.
Stukes (6-1, 190) is generally viewed as a second-round pick. In college for six seasons, Stukes missed most of the 2024 campaign because of a torn ACL but bounced back last season to earn third-team AP All-America honors. Stukes had four of his seven career interceptions last season.
Though the majority of Stukes’ college snaps were at outside corner or in the slot/nickel, most project him as a safety at the pro level.
Visits are expected to soon wind down with the Pittsburgh-based draft about a week away. Teams are allotted 30 official visits to their headquarters, with exceptions made for those deemed local prospects.