Mike McCarthy says Steelers saw Drew Allar as a first-round talent

In a game where Pittsburgh Steelers fans hoped to gain some clarity on who would gain some ground and take the backup quarterback job in a battle between Mason Rudolph and Will Howard, it was the third-round developmental rookie quarterback, Drew Allar, who stole the show. The 76th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft went 10-of-13 passing with two passing touchdowns and a rushing touchdown.

Appearing on The Pat McAfee Show,Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy revealed that the Steelers were not only high on Allar as a prospect, but they believed that he was a first-round talent.

“When we drafted Drew, we felt like we were getting a first-round pick,” McCarthy said. “When you know just the value that our personnel department had on him, you know, coming out of his junior year, and just, you would sit there and listen to all the reports and just, as you talk about the timeline of his career, what happened this senior, he had the injury, and so forth, so, and all that’s holding true.”

Once upon a time, Allar was considered a first-round caliber prospect by the NFL Draft community. His 6-foot-5 frame, combined with serious arm talent, gave scouts reason to believe he was worthy of a top selection after his junior season. It seems like the Steelers head coach was thinking these same things about Allar. McCarthy seems to be thrilled that he had the opportunity to select Allar in the third round this past April.

While he stole the show in the first preseason game, there is still plenty to learn for Allar, who is having his footwork and throwing mechanics refined under McCarthy. We saw plenty of the early returns from the coaching the Steelers head coach has done on the young quarterback in his NFL debut.

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