Steelers Draft Interview: Penn State QB Drew Allar
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Video Transcript
Yeah, I mean, it feels really good to be here.
Obviously, very fortunate and blessed to be here, to have the opportunity to, you know, kinda come out here and show teams who I am, both as a player and as a person.
So very thankful for the opportunity.
It's, it's been a fun experience so far.
Is this the moment you've been working towards since your injury?
yeah, I, I'd definitely say that.
As soon as, you know, I really got back to school, and started my rehab process, my whole, my whole focus towards my rehab process has been getting to this point.
Being healthy enough to, you know, have the chance to put myself out there and, and throw.
So I'm really excited to go out there on Saturday and just kinda loose.
Will you be running or throwing?
No sir, I'm just throwing.
Yeah.
Have you taken that from pro bowl?
No, I'm still just throwing.
Yeah, yeah.
But what Is your ankle 100% or not?
I mean, yeah, if I had to play a game today or tomorrow, like, I feel like I could go out there and get it done.
Drew, what do you think separates you from some of the other quarterbacks in this year's draft class?
Yeah, I mean, I would, I would say mentally, firstly my, ability to process information.
you know, our offense at Penn State, you know, they put a lot on me in terms of the, the verbiage of our play calls and responsibilities, pre-snap and post-snap.
So, you know, I feel like I've been, been really well prepared for that aspect because obviously the NFL, they're gonna put a lot on the quarterbacks mentally, with the, you know, pre-snap operation and everything like that.
And, you know, physically, I, I have a lot of trust in the ability in my arm talent.
you know, and I've been working, you know, relentlessly at, to get as consistent as I can and, and just find different ways to get better.
I mean, I'm sure most of you know I've only been really playing quarterback since my freshman year of high school.
So I feel like every year that I've played the position of quarterback, I've taken a step.
and this, this off-season is no different even though, you know, it, it looks a little bit different than I envisioned coming off of injury and that sort of thing.
But I feel like, you know, I've made steady, steady progress throughout my whole career playing quarterback.
Drew- Drew, what do you think is your most complete game as a pro, and why, and have you met with the Bengals?
I'm sorry, can you repeat?
What would you say is your most complete game as a pro, and why, and have you met with the Bengals?
Complete game as a pro?
I'm sorry, as a- Oh, okay.
My bad.
Yeah, that's on me.
yeah, I mean, I think, you know, there's been a couple games that come out to mind.
I would say USC for my junior year is one of those, just kind of battling through, obviously adversity, being down at halftime and then, you know, having a couple interceptions early in the game and, you know, having the chance to come back and, you know, win that game in overtime.
and no, I, I have not met with the Bengals yet.
yeah.
Drew, why did you go back to Penn State?
Yeah, for me, you know, there was a lot of things I wanted to accomplish at Penn State.
first and foremost, that was, you know, winning the Big 10 championship and national championship.
Obviously, we, we fell short of those but, you know, that was the main reason after my junior year I decided to go back.
and honestly, just to get more development and experience.
You know, I think experience is one of the quarterback's best friends.
the more pictures you can see, throughout your college career I feel better prepares you for the NFL.
Obviously, it's a different game.
I've got to, you know, learn NFL defenses and all that sort of thing.
But the more familiar you can get with those pictures, I feel like the more successful you can be.
Drew, if you knew how the season was gonna go last year, would you have still come back to Penn State?
what'd you say?
If you knew, like, how things were gonna go last year, would you have still decided to come back?
I mean, yeah.
Like, I think I, I would have.
Obv- obviously, it's not what I envisioned.
I'm a firm believer in everything happens for a reason.
and you know, I've just taken this opportunity through this injury to better myself both as a, you know, a person, teammate, and as a player.
So I wouldn't change a thing.
Everything happens for a reason.
I'm a firm believer in that.
And you know, I know everything's gonna work out, for the best in the long run.
Drew- Drew, what was the first jersey you had as a kid growing up?
First jersey I had as a kid?
That's a great question because, like, first and second grade, all I wore to school was foot- football jerseys.
but I would probably say either Joe Thomas or Charlie Fry I wanna say is one of the first two jerseys I had.
Drew, what were the What was the rehab process like, especially preparing for this as opposed to what you might have entailed, you know, preparation if, had you not been injured?
Yeah, I mean, you know, fortunate enough, the injury, if I, I was always gonna be injured, it happened at, you know, somewhat of a good time where I could I was at rehab at school for, you know, the remainder of the season after I, I was hurt.
so, you know, I was fortunate enough to be around a training staff that, you know, really helped me prepare myself and get myself in a good position so when I got out to California to start training for the pre-draft process that I was at a really good spot.
and you know, it was a, it was definitely challenging.
It's the first injury I've really ever had to deal with and a substantial amount of rehab.
But you know, I, I took it as an opportunity to grow and learn and, you know, better myself, whether that was, you know, physically with my ankle or just flexibility-wise, working on all aspects of, you know, my- myself as, like, a, a person and, and, like, an athlete.
So you know, it's, it was a fun process though.
Like, I've had a lot of good people between PT and at- athletic trainers and, you know, just coaches in general, help me throughout the process, so it's been a fun one.
Drew, what- Drew, what do you think about the two running backs here, able to sit there with Kaytron?
Yeah, I mean, I think they're the best running backs in the draft.
I had the pleasure of playing with them for four years straight.
came in together, bo- all three of us mid-year.
And you know, I, I definitely think they're the two most complete backs, in the country, and I think their production at Penn State speaks for itself.
Obviously, you know, they both hold their own records.
Kaytron with the all-purpose yards at Penn State.
and obviously we've had a, a number of guys come through Penn State recently in, in the past.
And then Nick with, all-time leading touchdowns, at Penn State.
So, like, those two guys, you know, I'm, I'm excited for them to, you know, watch them compete and grow, as we, as we move forward in our journeys together.
and, and whoever gets those two guys, they're gonna get guys that are, you know, dedicated to the team, very hard workers, and obviously really talented football players.
Hey Drew, have you always been a Browns fan growing up?
yeah.
I mean, I was, I would say, a pretty big Browns fan growing up.
I mean, I went to every single, home Browns game from the time I was seven through my senior year of high school.
My, my, great-grandfather had season tickets, so they've been p- passed down since the '60s, I guess.
so I've been, you know, fortunate enough to be to a lot of Browns games.
Drew, you partner with Mission 22, a veterans organization.
Yeah.
Can you tell me a little bit about why you wanted to get involved in that?
And I want to say thank you as a veteran myself.
Yes, sir.
Well, thank you for your service, first off.
But, yeah, for me, like, you know, one of the cool things about NIL, is to, to have a chance to give back to, you know, things you care about, whether that be your community-Or like, you know, charities you care about.
And honestly, so Mission Twenty-Two, I found it through a class, project.
It was one of my classes I had to take at Penn State, and you know, we had to do, research on a, a non-profit charity organization, and I wanted to do something for veterans since I've, I've had people in my family serve.
and I've known a lot of my friends that have had people serve in their family, and I found that, that it was a really cool, you know, organization with a really cool mission.
And, you know, from there I kinda just connected with it and, and found, found ways to, you know, kind of do- donate proceeds back to it.
Thank you very much for that.
Drew, how did your, upbringing in Medina prepare you for the event or experience you had in Canada?
I mean, yeah, I mean, I, I love Medina.
I love giving back every chance I can.
I have some of my best friends, you know, from all my youth sports teams, still to this day as my best friends.
Some of my best, coaches and mentors are from Medina.
You know, it taught me a lot, for sure.
And, you know, I, I, I wouldn't change where I went to high school, where I grew up or anything like that.
so, you know, very fortunate and blessed to, you know, grow up in a community that was like that and, you know, that is still so supportive of me and everybody that has, you know, come from, Medina County in general.
So it's really cool to see because, you know, I know Mitch Evans last year, he was a tight end at Notre Dame, didn't go to Medina sch- High School, but he went to Wadsworth.
so there's been a lot of guys that have had the opportunity to, you know, take that next step from college to the NFL, from Medina County in general, so it's kind of cool to try to build on that legacy.
What's the most- Drew, did you have a chance to meet some of the teams that you're competing with?
Yeah, I've had an informal with them.
so it was really kind of just getting to know me, drawing up some plays.
So all those informals are really fast though, so it's a really quick paced, thing.
Drew, do you- Do you feel pressure to prove your critics wrong here from like tomorrow?
I mean, no.
Like the one thing I've learned over my time at Penn State is to never let the outside noise bother you.
whether that was, you know, me having a good game, me having a bad game, good moments, bad moments, like you can't let anybody deter you or, you know, make yourself think of you in a bad way, in a good way.
Like, all that really matters to me is the opinions of my, my coaches and teammates and, you know, just earning their respect and, you know, going out there and producing and, and, you know, impacting the game in a meaningful way that can turn into wins no matter what my stats may look like.
The, the most important thing to me is just going out and winning football games.
Drew, what's the most- Yeah, I mean, I, I, I personally do think I do.
I think that's, you know, I'm not saying that out of cockiness or anything like that, it's just, you know, something I truly believe in.
and, you know, I knew this opportunity would come around for me hopefully, so I was just trying to prepare myself to put myself in a good position to go out and throw.
And, you know, it's not just me in this quarterback class.
There's a lot of other talented quarterbacks that, you know, have been cool to get to meet and, and, you know, create a re-relationship with them.
So it's been a fun process, you know, through January and up until now.
Drew, what's the most- During your, high school football journey, you didn't start the quarterback process of that until your freshman season, but was there a moment during your time at Medina where this kind of became real for you?
Yeah, I, I, I mean, there's a lot of points.
Like, I think the first realization I had was like when I started being the varsity quarterback the back half of my sophomore year of high school.
and then, you know, the first run in the playoffs was the first time Medina had been to the playoffs since I think twenty sixteen my sophomore year.
and you know, we we got, we got smacked by Eds in the first round, but I was, I had a pretty good game.
and you know, from there I, I started getting some more interest from college.
actually, you know, I know I mentioned Charlie Fry earlier, like he was my first offer when he was the quarterback coach at Central Michigan.
And then, you know, our, our, our paths crossed again my freshman year at Penn State when he was a, a analyst for us.
So that was kind of full circle moment in my life.
But, you know, I think that's when it really started.
And then, you know, probably during the shutdown of COVID, when I really, you know, was able to kinda hit another growth spurt and put on a lot of weight, and that's when I started working with my, you know, quarterback coach back home, Brad.
and that's really when I started, transforming to a rotational thrower as opposed to like a linear thrower, 'cause before that, like I was just throwing like I was a baseball pitcher.
Drew, what was the most impressive- Yeah, I'm really excited to see what that whole staff does at Virginia Tech.
you know, coach reached out to me, what is today?
Friday?
Tuesday, like when I first got out here.
so I'm, I'm extremely close with that whole staff still.
and I'm, I know they're gonna kill it down there and I'm, I'm really looking forward to seeing what they do, and all the guys that, you know, follow them.
So I'm really excited to see what they do, and obviously I'm excited to see what Penn State does as well.
Drew, what's the most- Yeah, you know, my decision was not a financial decision.
It was a strictly football personal decision to, to return to school.
obviously to further my football career, but also to graduate.
you know, I'm proud to be a Penn State graduate, graduate.
I graduated this past fall, so really excited about that.
Have you met with the Browns yet about playing for them?
Yeah, I, I met with, the Browns as a informal interview.
so yeah, that, that went really, really well.
So I actually know the quarterback coach, from high school recruiting.
He was the, the, OC quarterback coach at Northwestern, when I was coming out of high school, so I, I was familiar with him going into that meeting.
What's the- I mean, yeah, I think any team or any opportunity that I would have to play in the NFL would be a dream come true.
I mean, that one would be really cool and surreal just because I grew up going to Browns games and grew up a Browns fan.
But any opportunity that I have is one that I, I won't, I won't take for granted.
What's the most impressive- Did you meet with the Dolphins owners this week?
What'd you say?
Did you meet with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at all this week?
Yeah, I had an informal with them as well.
What would it mean maybe being in the quarterback room with Baker Mayfield?
I mean, that'd be really cool.
Baker was one of the, my, one of my favorite quarterbacks, you know, through his time at college and obviously, you know, watching his journey in the NFL.
and it's just, it's cool to see where he's at in his career.
you know, I, I actually watched a little bit of Tampa Bay's offense when I was hurt, so, you know, it was cool to see the things that they're running, the things that he's doing when he's playing.
So, you know, he's a guy that I try to, you know, take some stuff from his game.
Obviously we're a little bit different stature-wise and that sort of thing, but like, you know, the way he leads his team, I-- the way I can just see everybody cares for him and wants to go out and, and, and play with him is something that, you know, that doesn't go unseen to me.
And it's really cool to, you know, see that guy, him and just how he's grown up through his Oklahoma days and obviously his NFL days and see the leader that he w- has always been and just see how he's changed.
So, yeah.
What's the one thing you want teams- Did you talk to him at the formal?
What do you want-- what's the one thing you want teams to take away from you this weekend when evaluating you?
Yeah, I mean, I, I would just say getting to know me, getting to know the person that I am away from, being a quarterback and off the field.
Like, I think, you know, one of my, you know, best abilities is to be able to relate to a lot of different guys.
Like, you know, a lot of my teammates, I'm, I have a lot of really good relationships with them.
I'm really tight with all my coaches, you know, past and present.
Like Coach Sider, was one of my favorite coaches at, during my time at Penn State this past year.
He was at Notre Dame, and there's been a lot of coaches that, you know, I overlapped with at Penn State that either, you know, left, before I graduated or are at different spots now that I, I still keep up with.
And I'm, you know, really excited to, you know, keep continuing our relationships and that goes with the same with the players.
It's cool to see all the guys that, you know, were, on our team last year at Penn State be out here, and then some of the guys that, you know, transferred out, and, and had still successful careers that, you know, are at this point and still having our relationships.
That was the, you know, power of Penn State.
What's the most- Do you have blankets or jams?
