One of the key storylines entering the 2025 college football season is whether Penn State can successfully emulate the recipe Ohio State used to win a National Championship last season. A big part of that strategy was not only adding some impact players from the transfer portal, but also returning key veterans and playmakers across the roster.

Quarterback Drew Allar was the biggest fish for head coach James Franklin to lure back into the fold.

Allar showed improvement throughout the 2024 season, even though his performance against Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff didn't quite highlight his growth. Overall, his game has advanced last year, making it likely he would be a top-three pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Cleveland and the New York Giants would've surely wanted Allar over Shedeur Sanders.

With Drew Allar, you have a field general under center. Can make pre-snap checks and cue motions. You can execute action rollouts and move the pocket with him. And his easy velocity and angle freedom enables him to layer quick-hitting passes when in-rhythm. pic.twitter.com/eV41kNVbat

— Ian Cummings (@IC_Draft) May 5, 2025

Instead, Allar opened up as to why he stayed at Penn State for his fourth season. For him, culture was the driving force.

"I think it's a credit to coach Franklin and the culture that he's built here," Allar said. "From the time I was a recruit, I could really feel the culture that was here, it was player-led, and also the relationships between the players and the coaches. So I think we're a relationship-based program and a culture, I think that shows.

We're a program that's going to be honest with you and help give you every single resource possible to achieve your dreams, whether that's on the field or off the field. So it's really a shoutout to coach Franklin and the culture that he's built and also the players continuing to drive it and make it better each day."

At just 20 years old, Allar has areas to develop, but his physical attributes are the best among this year's class. He possesses a strong arm, decent mobility, and has enhanced his accuracy, making him a promising prospect with time to hone his skills.

However, his performance under pressure and overall aggression need work, and the context of Penn State's offense, particularly with a struggling receiving corps, helps explain some of these shortcomings.

Opting to declare for the draft or return to Penn State seemed wise. With Penn State losing its top tight end (Tyler Warren), Allar will face challenges with a receiving corps that was unable to record a reception against Notre Dame.

While it's commendable that Allar is committed to Penn State and eager to improve, the Nittany Lions have struggled to provide him with the quality weapons and scheme needed to elevate his game further.