Steelers Insider: Pittsburgh Will Name Drew Allar The Starter in 2027: "Hand-Picked By [Mike] McCarthy"

The Pittsburgh Steelers made a huge splash by drafting Penn State quarterback Drew Allar with their first pick of the third round in the 2026 NFL Draft. The organization made its first developmental quarterback move after hiring a known developer at the position in Head Coach Mike McCarthy. Allar will compete in a room full of existing signal-callers, as two are already on the roster, and the team still awaits a decision on 2025 starter Aaron Rodgers. He has a lot of qualities that caught the eye of Steelers scouts and brass, and the hope is he can develop into the quarterback of the future in the Steel City. 

If Rodgers comes back for another go in Pittsburgh, then Allar will have to wait his turn until 2027. The quarterback situation is unclear post-2026, as, depending on how the Steelers' season goes, they could be in line for a high draft pick in the 2027 NFL Draft. The franchise could look for a top-tier talent there or ride it out with Allar. Allar could be the most ready by then, even over a first-round pick. His third-round pick status could put him over someone like Will Howard, with whom Allar will compete for reps. 

Allar seemed almost hand-picked by McCarthy based on his comments earlier in the season of wanting a gunslinger who was able to play AFC North football. Allar is listed at 6'5" and 224 pounds. He has a big arm and some mobility in the pocket, which makes him an interesting developmental piece. If he shows some improvement, he could have a chance at being a starter. Steelers insider Mark Kaboly talked about Allar's potential starting gig and how he was a McCarthy pick on an episode of Kaboly and Mack. 

"We're assuming Mason's [Rudolph] gone and Rodgers retires, so you're down to Howard and Allar and potentially a first-rounder, maybe. First-rounder won't be ready, and if you're gonna go between Howard or Drew Allar, you'd have to imagine the guy with the higher draft pick and the higher ceiling," Kaboly said. 

Kaboly makes the case that because Allar is the higher draft pick and the fact that his potential is stronger than Howard's, then he would get the edge. Allar has a lot to prove before he's handed the keys, but with a season behind Rodgers, potentially, and learning from the "quarterback guru" in McCarthy, he is set up for success. Kaboly wrote about the fact that this was a McCarthy pick in his mailbag on X. 

"He’s a higher pick, he has more of the tangibles to his game, and, maybe the most important, hand-picked by McCarthy," Kaboly wrote. 

Allar showed some flashes as a Nittany Lion with his big arm and made some high-leverage throws. His footwork and accuracy will need to improve, but NFL coaching will be a huge benefit for him. 

Allar was rated a five-star recruit out of high school, landing him at the prestigious Penn State. He faced some hardships, like his inability to perform in some big games and a broken left ankle in the middle of the 2025 college football season. His potential is there, and the Steelers will hope to unlock it, as they haven't been able to properly develop a quarterback since their franchise star Ben Roethlisberger. Hopefully, the Black and Gold find the star they have been searching for in a young quarterback over the past few years.

The Steelers' Quarterback Room Is Crowded

Thankfully for the young quarterbacks, Allar and Howard, Rodgers hasn't signed yet, so they'll get some quality reps in the offseason activities. However, if he comes back, it will be difficult for the team to carry four signal-callers. This could mean that one of the four is moved. Allar will be safe because of his third-round pick status, but this could spell trouble for guys like Rudolph and Howard. 

Unless Pittsburgh finds a way to carry all four, there could be some major changes coming to the room. Rudolph seems like he could be a candidate for a trade or to be cut, but his veteran status sets him above two inexperienced quarterbacks. The future of these gunslingers will be determined shortly before the season, and it will be interesting to see how the quarterback room shakes out. 

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