Penn State quarterback Drew Allar is leading the way for the new Steelers in jersey sales one week into his NFL career.
Drew Allar continues to be a true enigma in the game of football. As a third-round pick, the Pittsburgh Steelers bought a lottery ticket by taking the young quarterback.
In just his first week in the NFL, Allar is already making waves. So far, he is leading the Steelers' rookies in jersey sales according to Fanatics. The apparel company released the top marks for each team on Friday, and Allar is at the top of the list for the Steelers.
Allar joins a list that includes Caleb Downs, Fernando Mendoza, David Bailey, and several other top draft picks.
Allar certainly stands out amongst the others on this list as he is the only non-first-round pick in this group, but nonetheless, he is where the fans are.
It's not all that surprising that he leads the way for the Steelers. Many in Pittsburgh are hoping that he is the answer, the savior for their franchise. For Allar himself, this couldn't be a weirder fit for him.
He grew up just 30 minutes south of Cleveland, and he grew up with season tickets to the Cleveland Browns. I'm sure that he and his family would have preferred any of the other 31 teams in the league, but as the saying goes, beggars can't be choosers.
Allar has some development left to do in his game. He comes to the NFL as a totally unfinished product. He is a player who actually got progressively worse throughout his college career.
When he came to Penn State, he was a five-star recruit and had an arm that was as live as any in the country. He could truly make every single throw on the field with a ton of confidence.
Then, he got to college and joined a roster that never developed and an offense that never evolved. Year after year, his game eroded, his mechanics declined, and so did his confidence.
A year of development in the NFL behind a player like Aaron Rodgers and a coaching staff that will give him some time to grow without the pressure of expectations will be good for him.
The hope for Pittsburgh is that their third-round pick can develop into the franchise quarterback that they have been craving since Ben Roethlisberger retired.
Time will tell if he is the answer, but for now, he will just lead the team in jersey sales.
Penn State Roundtable also offers a fan community and message board. We’d love to have you join us to talk all things Penn State Nittany Lions. Click the “Join” button at the top of the page to join our community for free.