Penn State's Drew Allar predicted to not go No. 1 overall in 2026 NFL Draft for key reason

Penn State quarterback Drew Allar is back for another year in State College. Only this time, however, it is set to be his last one.

Next spring, Allar will declare for the NFL Draft as one of college football's biggest stars. However, his going No. 1 overall seems too good to be true. According to ESPN's Jordan Reid, Allar's probability sits at 15 percent.

"If he can play more like he did against Oregon in the Big Ten championship game last season (280 combined yards and four touchdowns) and less like he did against Notre Dame in the CFP semifinals (12-for-23, 135 yards and a backbreaking late interception), Allar could be a top-10 pick ... or higher," Reid wrote.

His going No. 1 isn't out of the realm of possibility either. It just seems rather challenging, Reid writes.

"Despite Allar's progress last season, many scouts feel he still needs to work on his ball placement. He'll be tested this season, as Penn State lost first-round tight end Tyler Warren and has multiple new receivers that Allar will have to get acclimated to," Reid wrote.

Allar's team is faced with yet another dilemma, however. His coach, James Franklin, remains under fire for not having won a national title yet. However, Reid's colleague, Kirk Herbstreit, says this season might be the one where it happens.

📲 Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp 

During an interview on "The Pat McAfee Show," Herbstreit shared his sentiment.

“I think Penn State has a chance with what they went through last year, they’ve been so close, you know,” Herbstreit said. “I think their fans want them to get there, boy, they were close last year. I’m excited to see them.”

Next month, Allar has a chance to get Herbstreit to remain a believer. For now, the season's beginning is right around the corner.