Key Points
Penn State quarterback Drew Allar suffered a season-ending injury in Saturday's loss against Northwestern .
Allar was widely regarded in the preseason as a potential first-round prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft.
The injury is likely to end Allar's college career, as well as impact his draft stock.
Penn State suffered another disappointing loss Saturday, but the more devastating development was an ankle injury that will sideline quarterback Drew Allar for the rest of the season.
The Nittany Lions fell 22-21 at home to Northwestern, and the loss was magnified by the news that their signal-caller would be lost for the year. Allar left the game in the fourth quarter after going down awkwardly at the end of a short run, and head coach James Franklin confirmed at his postgame press conference that it would be a season-ending injury.
Coming on the heels of last week's shocking road loss to a previously winless UCLA team that had already fired its head coach, things went from bad to worse Saturday for Penn State.
The 2025 campaign was full of promise for both the team and Allar, who was widely regarded as one of the top quarterback prospects in the 2026 NFL draft class heading into the season. But just like the rest of the team, Allar's performance so far this season was inconsistent at best, causing him to go from potential top-10 pick to a likely Day 2 or mid-round wild-card.
Allar has made some strides throughout his college career when it comes to maximizing his impressive raw talent and physical tools, but he's continued to struggle with consistency when it comes to decision-making, accuracy, anticipation, and ball placement.
So, what does this injury mean for Allar's draft stock?
There were some who thought Allar might declare for this year's draft, especially with the chance to take advantage of a somewhat lackluster class at the position, but he opted to return to school to refine his skill set and find that consistency in the finer points of being a successful passer. He was still chasing that when his season came to an end Saturday, leaving more questions than answers for NFL scouts and decision-makers as they look ahead to the 2026 draft.
Now, Allar is left facing the reality that his college career at Penn State is likely over, since his four years of eligibility will be exhausted after this season:
The timetable for Allar's rehab and return to full strength remains to be seen, and those details will be critical to projecting his draft position for the 2026 cycle. If he's able to get cleared for football activities in time to participate in any part of the predraft process, it will aid his ability to convince NFL teams he's still worthy of an early selection come April.
If he's not able to work out prior to the draft, Allar could end up being viewed by NFL teams as a mid-round or Day 3 prospect who's worth taking a chance on because of the pure upside that comes along with his physical traits.
While it's sure to be disappointing for Allar if he doesn't end up being a first-round pick , we've seen plenty of examples of quarterbacks coming off the board in the later rounds and still finding success at the next level. All it takes is the right scheme fit and a strong coaching staff to put a player like Allar in position to take advantage of what he does well, and develop the areas of his game that still need work.
Wherever he lands in the draft, here's hoping Allar is able to make a full and swift recovery, and eventually deliver on the promise he brings as a potential franchise quarterback in the future.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Oct 11, 2025, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
