Recapping Penn State quarterback Drew Allar's path to the Nittany Lions
Penn State fans, the following story will appear in Blue White Illustrated’s upcoming Class of 2022 recruiting magazine. It mails Feb. 25 and features over 70 pages of analysis, bios and superlatives on the most recent class. To order, go to BlueWhiteOnline.com.
When’s the last time Penn State fans were as excited about any individual prospect as they are about Ohio native Drew Allar?
The Nittany Lions’ last five-star quarterback, Christian Hackenberg, is the likely answer, but the Allar hype train may have surpassed even Hackenberg by now.
A native Medina outside of Akron, Allar’s rise to one of the nation’s top quarterback prospects is well-documented by now. Just a year ago, Allar was a midrange three-star with a handful of solid offers, but nothing that screamed five-star. His connection with Matt Campbell at Iowa State made the Cyclones his early favorite. Sure, they’re a good football program, but not what many consider elite.
At the beginning of 2021, things started to shift after Penn State offensive coordinator Mike Yurcich extended an offer Jan. 30. Within 24 hours, Michigan and Texas A&M both followed. Nine other Power Five programs would also offer in February, including Notre Dame.
The Fighting Irish ultimately proved to be Penn State’s top competitor, but by the time they had offered at the end of February, Allar was getting close to a commitment. Many speculated he would end up taking an unofficial visit to South Bend first, which had Penn State fans worried. That visit never materialized, however, as Allar wound up committing to the Nittany Lions on March 8.
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“I think one of the main reasons is all the relationships I’ve built with all the coaches, not just Coach Yurcich. I’ve talked to so many coaches at Penn State, and I really enjoyed talking to every single one of them,” Allar said. “They got to know me off the field and what I like to do when I’m not playing football and just stuff like that. I really appreciate that. It feels more like a family environment than just a straight football program. I really appreciate that.”
But that was really only half of Allar’s story. Following a 16-month dead period that made in-person evaluations difficult, Allar showed the country just how high his potential really is, lighting up multiple camps across the midwest. Those performances led to an invitation to the Elite 11 Finals in Los Angeles. That’s the event that showed so many that Allar needs to rank among the best quarterbacks in the country.
On3 ranked Allar as its No. 1 quarterback in the country about a month later in August, but the Penn State commit still had to prove it on the field this fall if he wanted to stay there. So what did Allar do? He only threw for 4,444 yards and 48 touchdowns in 14 games. On top of the individual stats, he led Medina to its first Greater Cleveland Conference championship in school history.
Medina ultimately fell short of a state championship, losing to Cleveland powerhouse St. Edward in the state quarterfinals. By then, however, Allar had shown the entire country that he deserves to rank among the nation’s best. He’s now not only a five-star player by On3, but a five-star in the On3 Consensus, too, ranking No. 28 overall. Allar finished as the nation’s fourth-best quarterback according to the On3 Consensus.
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“He’s just proof that hard work and dedication really pays off,” said Medina head coach Larry Laird. “He has made himself into the prospect that he is. Don’t get me wrong, you have to have some natural talent, but his hard work, not only on the field, but in the film room and cultivating relationships with his teammates, is why he is where he is today.”
Before enrolling at Penn State last month, Allar impressed one final time at the All-American Bowl in San Antonio. He earned top performer honors from On3, ranking third out of the players who participated, according to On3’s Charles Power.
“Drew Allar was the top performing quarterback during All-American Bowl practices, showcasing his advanced passing talent and skill,” said Power. The 6-foot-5, 230-pounder has the best arm talent in the 2022 cycle. He has plus arm strength with the ability to easily drive the ball to all levels. Allar delivers from multiple arm slots and can layer the football, resulting in easily catchable passes.”
With Allar now on campus, you can be sure that Penn State fans will pack Beaver Stadium this spring to get a look at the young quarterback. You can also be sure that he’s already putting in the work.
“I think I would put him up against anybody in the country at his age level when it comes to film. In fact, I’d put him up against guys already playing at the college level when it comes to film work,” said Laird. ”That’s one area where I think he truly excels and you can see it when you watch him. He really excels in this area.”
