Former Nittany Lion quarterback Drew Allar shined in his first preseason action for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
It was the Drew Allar show in Western Pennsylvania on Thursday night. The former Nittany Lions quarterback stepped up to the plate and did everything right as he helped lead the Steelers to a nice victory over the Green Bay Packers.
Allar finished his first NFL game going 10-13 for 153 yards, two throwing touchdowns, and one rushing touchdown for the Steelers.
It is quite the tug of war for Nittany Lions fans on being excited for him but wondering why the heck that version of him wasn't ever in Happy Valley.
On Thursday, Allar showed that he has everything in his bag. He can make the long throw; he can make the short throw; he can throw on the run; and he can easily get in and out of the huddle.
As a fourth-round pick, Allar has a real chance to be an absolute diamond in the rough. Allar has all of the tools necessary to be a really nice quarterback in this league. For him, right now, it is simply about getting better each and every day. He is not going to overtake current starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers so he will get a full year of prep.
Then, when the calendar turns to next year, Allar is going to be in a competition with, at least, Will Howard but potentially another youngster added to that mix. Next year will be the year of competition where the Steelers' quarterback spot is completely up for grabs and there for the taking.
Allar finished his college career with over 7,400 yards and 61 touchdowns for the Nittany Lions. He was never able to get over the hump to beat any of their biggest rivals in the country. Now, as he enters the league, all of that is at his disposal, and it is scary for the rest of the AFC North.
Allar did more than enough to prove himself on Thursday night. He showed up to the stadium over three hours before kickoff to begin his preparation, and, obviously, it turned out to be the correct decision.
He took it all in, and then when he got his opportunity, he capitalized. Completions reached all parts of the field, and he has been making plays left and right. As he sits today, he is the three seed who could very well make a run based on how the rest of the playoffs go.
If this is any indication of what is to come, then the Steelers will be immediately back in the mix. It is absolutely one of the great places to live.
