By Andrew Fillipponi
The Steelers used their first of three third‑round picks on Friday evening to draft Drew Allar, turning a pre‑draft visit on April 15 into a selection that immediately reshapes Pittsburgh’s quarterback depth chart.
Allar, a 6‑foot‑5, 228‑pound passer with nearly 10‑inch hands, arrived in Pittsburgh for a visit on April 15 — the final day teams were allowed to host pre‑draft visitors — and ten days later the team made him their third‑round choice. The decision drew a polarizing response from fans and evaluators alike.
Coach Tom Arth framed how the room will look once Allar arrives: "How’s that going to go, coming into a room with Will Howard?" Arth said, adding that "these are two ultra‑competitive individuals" and that "they certainly wouldn’t be where they are if they weren’t. That type of competition typically brings out the best in people."
Allar acknowledged the awkwardness and the promise of the matchup, saying, "I got to know Will a little bit and he’s a great guy," and adding, "He’s a great player. I’d love to be able to work with him." He emphasized the team priority: "I think it’s about pulling for each other first and foremost," and said, "You want the team to be successful every Sunday. You want to go out and win every game. That’s the ultimate goal, and that’s my ultimate goal." On his own preparation, Allar said, "For me, it’s just about putting my head down and focusing on what I can control — my effort and attitude each day, and the amount of preparation I could put into going into each day," and, "And I know everybody in the quarterback room is going to do the same thing."
The Steelers drafted Allar after a months‑long research effort on this year’s quarterback class; the front office had signaled plans to add a mid‑round quarterback to join 2025 sixth‑round pick Will Howard on a depth chart that likely would also feature Aaron Rodgers. Many inside the building had hoped Rodgers would be in place by Week 1.
Allar’s arm — described inside the building as probably the best part of his game — offers a contrast with Howard, whose arm strength was questioned during his pre‑draft process. That contrast is the immediate axis of the fight: who becomes QB2 and who is left fighting for roster scraps. In the immediate future, the QB2 job is likely at stake.
The competition will not be confined to offseason talk. It is expected to continue through training camp in Latrobe, into preseason games and, eventually, into full stadiums. The team will watch that head‑to‑head battle closely; Arth suggested the competitive dynamic almost guarantees both players will be pushed harder: "These are two ultra‑competitive individuals," he said, repeating the point that competition "typically brings out the best in people."
There are practical roster consequences tied to how the battle shakes out. Should Aaron Rodgers sign, Mason Rudolph’s days in Pittsburgh are probably numbered. For Allar personally, there is also the durability question: his college career ended with the pain of an injury, a fact that will shadow evaluations as coaches measure performance against medical history.
Friday’s pick closes one chapter of a quarterback search that has dragged on for more than half a decade in Pittsburgh and opens another: Allar must translate arm talent and size — nearly 10‑inch hands, the physical profile the Steelers covet — into consistent play, while Howard must answer lingering questions about arm strength. The team’s decision to add a mid‑round signal caller was deliberate; now the work that matters begins on the grass in Latrobe, where the QB2 job and the pecking order for 2027 will be decided.
