Drew Allar: From Medina High School Standout to NFL Prospect

Drew Allar's journey from a high school football field in Medina, Ohio, to the cusp of the National Football League (NFL) is a testament to his exceptional talent, unwavering dedication, and continuous growth. His high school career at Medina High School laid the foundation for his collegiate success at Penn State University and his subsequent emergence as a highly sought-after NFL prospect.

Early Life and High School Career

Growing up in Medina, Ohio, Drew Allar quickly established himself as a football prodigy. He attended Medina High School, where he became the starting quarterback as a sophomore, showcasing his exceptional talent early in his high school career.

Sophomore Season: A Promising Start

In his sophomore year, Allar demonstrated his potential by passing for 1,802 yards and 23 touchdowns, marking the beginning of his impressive high school career.

Junior Season: Continued Growth

Allar continued to develop as a quarterback during his junior season, passing for 2,962 yards and 26 touchdowns, further solidifying his reputation as a top prospect.

Senior Season: Record-Breaking Performance

Allar's senior season was nothing short of spectacular. He completed 305 of 509 pass attempts (59.9%) for 4,444 yards and 48 touchdowns with seven interceptions. He also rushed for 406 yards and nine touchdowns. His outstanding performance earned him the prestigious title of Ohio Mr. Football. Allar completed 60% of his passes. He set Medina County records for yards and touchdowns, completing 305-of-511 passes for 4,444 yards and 48 passing touchdowns. He also rushed for 406 yards and nine touchdowns.

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Accolades and Recognition

Following the end of his remarkable senior season, Allar was rightfully named Ohio Mr. Football, cementing his status as one of the state's most outstanding high school football players. He was also named the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association Mr. Football, State Offensive Player of the Year, Max Preps Ohio Player of the Year and a first-team all-state selection in Division I. Allar was selected Greater Cleveland Conference Offensive Player of the Year, Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association Northeast Ohio Inland District Division I Offensive Player of the Year, Cleveland.com Offensive Player of the Year and Medina County MVP. As a junior and senior, Allar was an Ohio Division I first team and Greater Cleveland Conference first team honoree.

High School Records

Drew Allar's high school career was marked by numerous records, including school and county records for career passing yards (9,103), career passing touchdowns (98), season passing yards (4,444), season passing touchdowns (48), passing yards in a game (525), and passing touchdowns in a game (5).

NFF Team of Distinction

Adding to his accolades, Allar was named to the 2022 National Football Foundation (NFF) Team of Distinction. This prestigious honor recognizes high school football players for their academic achievement, athletic accolades, and community involvement. Allar, a graduate of Medina High School, in Ohio, was one of the Midwest Region’s honorees. He graduated with a 3.5 GPA and made it to Medina’s honor role after all of his semesters.

College Career at Penn State

Allar's exceptional high school performance attracted the attention of numerous college programs. He ultimately committed to Penn State University, joining the Nittany Lions as an early enrollee in January 2022. He had offers from virtually every blue-blood program in the Midwest - including Michigan, Ohio State, and Notre Dame - but at Penn State, Allar had an opportunity to play early.

2022 Season: Backup Quarterback

Entering the 2022 season, Allar was named the Nittany Lions' backup quarterback. He made his college debut in the season opener against Purdue, completing two passes on four attempts for 26 yards when starter Sean Clifford left the game due to an apparent knee injury. Allar was able to get his feet wet in 2022 in relief of Sean Clifford. He played in nine games, all coming off of the bench, during his freshman season and completed 35 of 60 pass attempts for 344 yards and four touchdowns while also rushing for 52 yards and one touchdown. As of this update, Allar has completed 41 of 58 pass attempts (70.7%) for 729 yards, eight touchdowns, and just one pick - and he’s also logged 77 yards and two scores on the ground.

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2023 Season: Seizing the Starting Role

Allar seized the starting job in 2023. In 2023, Allar’s TD-to-INT ratio painted a disproportionate picture of the offense’s effectiveness.

2024 Season: Continued Development

His 2024 campaign saw him complete 66.5% of his passes for 3,327 yards and 24 touchdowns against 8 interceptions, displaying the kind of progress that has NFL scouts salivating. What stands out most about Allar's development is his historic ball security, setting an FBS record with 311 attempts without an interception to start his career. He's maintained that disciplined approach while still pushing the ball downfield, consistently showing the ability to attack all levels of the field. Allar's journey from raw talent to polished field general mirrors his physical tools - methodically refined but still loaded with untapped potential.

2025 Season: Injury

In 2025, Allar suffered a season-ankle ending injury in a loss against Northwestern.

Career Statistics and Records

Allar's collegiate career has been marked by numerous accomplishments and records. He opened his collegiate career with 311 passing attempts without an interception, an FBS record, bettering Baylor’s Robert Griffin III’s 209 attempts in 2008. He ranks first all-time at Penn State in completion percentage (62.9) and interception percentage (1.19), third in touchdown passes (53) and passing efficiency (144.0), fifth in completions (530), tied for fifth in 200-yard passing games (16), sixth in passing yardage (6,302) and passing attempts (843), tied for ninth in yards per attempt (7.5) and 10th in touchdown pass percentage (6.28). Among Penn State quarterbacks, he ranks tied for sixth in school history in rushing touchdowns (11) and 10th in rushing yards (543). He stands fourth all-time at PSU in touchdowns responsible for (64) and fifth in total offense (6,862). He stands eighth at Penn State in wins by a starting quarterback (23) and 10th in starting quarterback winning percentage (.793).

In 2023, Allar joined Tennessee's Hendon Hooker (2022) as the only FBS quarterbacks ever to throw 25+ touchdown passes and 2 or less interceptions in a season. He began the season with 251 pass attempts without an interception, the sixth-most to start a season since 2000, trailing only Louisiana Tech’s Colby Cameron (428; 2012), Oregon’s Marcus Mariota (285; 2013), Western Kentucky’s Tyrrell Pigrome (278; 2020), NC State’s Ryan Finley (274; 2017) and West Virginia’s Geno Smith (273; 2012). He became the only Big Ten quarterback, since 2000, to start a season with 175+ pass attempts and no interceptions. He posted the lowest interception percentage (0.51) in a single season in Penn State history and became the first quarterback in school history to throw for 10 or more touchdowns before throwing an interception in a season.

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In 2024, Allar finished second in a single-season at Penn State in completion percentage (66.5), third in passing efficiency (153.3), third in passing yardage (3,327), fourth in completions (262), tied for fourth in touchdown passes (24), tied for fifth in 200-yard games (9), sixth in passing attempts (394) and tied for ninth in yards per attempt (8.4). Among quarterbacks, he was tied for seventh in school history in rushing touchdowns (6). He closed the season ranked third in a single season at Penn State in total yards (3,477), tied for fourth in touchdowns responsible for (30) and eighth in total offense yards per play (7.41). He threw for 391 yards in the win at USC (10/12), the sixth-most in program history and also completed 30 passes at USC, tied for 10th-most at Penn State. His 391-yard passing performance in the USC win was the most for a Penn State quarterback since Sean Clifford threw for 401 yards against Villanova in 2021. He threw three touchdowns in the second quarter at West Virginia (8/31), marking the first time a Penn State player threw three touchdowns in a quarter since Trace McSorley did so in the third quarter against Michigan State in 2016. In the season-opening win over West Virginia (9/2), he became the first Penn State quarterback to throw for at least 300 yards in his first career start since Michael Robinson threw for 379 yards vs.

Game Highlights

Allar has had several notable game performances throughout his college career.

West Virginia (8/31): Completed 11-of-17 passes for 216 yards and three touchdowns.
Bowling Green (9/7): Threw for 204 yards on 13-for-20 passing for two touchdowns and one interception.
Kent State (9/21): Completed 17-of-21 passes for 309 yards and three touchdowns, while adding a rushing score.
UCLA (10/5): Completed 17-of-24 passes for 237 yards and a touchdown.
USC (10/12): Threw for a career-high 391 yards, completing 30-of-43 passes and adding two passing touchdowns.
at Purdue (11/16): Connected on 17-of-19 passes for 247 yards and three touchdowns.
Oregon (12/7): Completed 20-of-39 passes for 226 yards and three touchdowns.

Awards and Recognition

Allar has received numerous awards and accolades for his performance on the field. He was an All-Big Ten honorable mention selection by the coaches and media and was named a Davey O'Brien Award semifinalist. He earned a spot on the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Top 10 list and was named to the Davey O'Brien Award Great 8 list and was a Manning Award Star of the Week (8/31 - West Virginia). He was tabbed to the Davey O’Brien Award, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, Manning Award, Maxwell Award and Reese's Senior Bowl watch lists. He earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors from the coaches and media and was named to the Davey O'Brien QB Class of 2023 and earned spots on the Maxwell Award and Manning Award watch lists.

NFL Prospect Profile

Drew Allar's combination of size, arm strength, and athleticism has made him one of the most intriguing quarterback prospects in recent years. Penn State fans know what Allar can do on the football field, and many are counting on him to be the school’s next great quarterback. He committed to Penn State in March of 2021, and by the time he finished his high school career, he was a five-star recruit and the No.

Strengths

Elite Arm Talent: Allar possesses exceptional arm strength and elasticity, allowing him to make throws from various platforms with impressive velocity. At 6’5″, 241 pounds, Allar - a one-time five-star recruit - has quantifiably elite composite arm talent, with both arm strength and elasticity above the 90th percentile. With his composite arm talent, Allar can deliver with pace from many platforms - which, at his size, is an incredible quality to have.
Size and Athleticism: At 6'5" and 241 pounds, Allar has the ideal size for an NFL quarterback, combined with the athleticism to make plays with his legs.
Ball Security: Allar has demonstrated exceptional ball security, setting an FBS record with 311 attempts without an interception to start his career.
Improving Accuracy: Allar has shown continuous improvement in his accuracy, completing a high percentage of his passes and consistently hitting receivers in stride.
Disciplined Approach: Allar has maintained a disciplined approach while still pushing the ball downfield, consistently showing the ability to attack all levels of the field.
Mental Acumen: Allar is rapidly improving mental acumen.

Areas for Improvement

Execution and Overall Accuracy: For Allar, execution and overall accuracy are two areas where he stands to improve in 2024.
Consistency: His process with dropback footwork and pressure resistance can still be more consistent.

NFL Projection

Allar grades out as a fringe top-100 prospect, who could eventually solidify his standing in the early rounds. He’s still just 20 years old and has the natural talent to vault into the Round 1 conversation with a strong 2024 campaign. His decision to return for his senior season speaks to his commitment to mastering the nuances of the position before making the leap to the next level. Looking ahead to his NFL projection, Allar profiles as a blue-chip prospect who could thrive in a vertical passing system that maximizes his arm talent while allowing him to create outside structure. The NFL's intense interest in Allar was evident even before his return announcement, with several general managers heavily scouting him throughout the 2024 season. Multiple teams picking in the top-10 of the 2025 draft, including the Titans, Browns, Giants, Raiders, Jets, and Saints, had him firmly on their radar as a potential franchise quarterback. Having already drawn consideration as the QB3 behind Sanders and Ward for 2025, Allar's decision to return to Penn State positions him as the early favorite to be QB1 in 2026. In a league where quarterback talent drives success, Allar projects as the kind of prospect teams will position themselves to select at the top of the 2026 draft. With another year to refine his mechanics and processing speed in a familiar system, he has the potential to enter the draft as one of the most complete quarterback prospects in recent years. His blend of physical tools, rapidly improving mental acumen, and proven ability to make significant year-over-year improvements gives him franchise-altering potential at the next level.

NFL Combine Comparisons

Allar's performance metrics can be compared to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. This involves the analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects.

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