James Franklin expects 'another significant leap' from quarterback Drew Allar in 2025

Penn State has national championship aspirations in 2025 and might just have all the pieces to make it happen. One of the biggest of those pieces? Quarterback Drew Allar.

Allar is back for his third season as the starter. And he’s already come a long way.

“I’m just proud of him. Drew has made tremendous growth every single year, all the way back to recruiting,” coach James Franklin said Wednesday at Big Ten Media Days. “I don’t know if a lot of people remember, but Drew, when we first started recruiting him was a three-star recruit, kind of a throwback recruit. Kept getting better, kept moving up the charts depending on which recruiting service you follow. Some people had him as the No. 1 quarterback in the country before it was all said and done.”

Drew Allar is certainly in that mix now. Many NFL projections have him as a potential first-round draft pick. He could very well end up as the No. 1 quarterback in his class.

Of course, that will require continued development. But that’s something he has shown every year.

“Showed up on campus, was a backup quarterback for us as a true freshman behind an NFL quarterback,” Franklin pointed out. “And has gotten better in every single year, really in every single area.”

Drew Allar is coming off a season in which he threw for a career-best 3,327 yards and 24 touchdowns, against eight interceptions. He also ran for 302 yards and six scores.

Franklin praised him for his raw ability, which is routinely on display. He continued:

“He’s 6-foot-5, he’s now 235 pounds, can make every throw on the field,” Franklin said. “Has shown that he can hurt people with his feet. And has really made tremendous strides as well as a leader, holding himself to a really high standard and willing to have tough conversations with his teammates as well.”

So how good can Drew Allar be? That’s really up to him, Franklin said.

But suffice it to say, Penn State is counting on a major year from the signal-caller. Get that and the Nittany Lions will likely be a playoff contender once again.

“He’s made significant leaps every year. We expect him to take another significant leap this year,” Franklin said. “Most people had him projected as a first-round draft choice last year. He decided to come back to school. Unfinished business collectively as a team, but also as an individual.

“I’m a big Drew fan. You guys get a chance to get around him, you’ll feel the same way. He’s really what it’s all about: It’s team, team, team, it’s community. It’s Penn State. He does things the right way and I couldn’t be more proud of him.”