The Penn State Nittany Lions are a College Football Playoff favorite this fall for good reason. Head coach James Franklin brought a ton of veteran talent back from last year’s roster, then revamped a receiving corps that desperately needed more dynamic ability. At the core of his hopes is senior passer Drew Allar.

This week, the cost of keeping Allar from the NFL was revealed. On3 reporter Pete Nakos found that Allar will make at least $3 million this fall. Had Allar been a top-five NFL draft pick in April, he would’ve earned at least $5.5 million in 2025 and a total salary of $29.6 million over four years.

“Drew Allar opted to return to college football for another season over the NFL draft. The Penn State quarterback played some of his best football down the stretch in 2024, leading the Nittany Lions to a College Football Playoff semifinal appearance. Now back in State College, Penn State debuted at No. 2 in the preseason AP Top 25 poll. Sources have told Allar will make at least $3 million this season.”

The Orange Bowl could’ve been a launching point for Drew Allar’s 2025 NFL Draft stock. Instead, Allar was the laughingstock of the game as the Nittany Lions fell short to Notre Dame in a 27-24 loss. While Allar had previously said he would be back in Happy Valley for 2025, there was buzz he could reconsider if he boosted his stock in the College Football Playoffs.

Instead, on the same day Carson Beck opted against entering the 2025 NFL Draft, Allar showed he was right to do the same. The 6-foot-5, 235-pound junior posted his third-straight game with 13 or fewer completions and under 172 yards. His accuracy was off all night, and he struggled to deal with pressure as Notre Dame clamped down on his weak supporting cast.

The dichotomy of being an NFL prospect is this, though: Allar improved last year despite his late-season failures. The Cleveland Browns and New York Giants would’ve surely been more interested in Allar than eventual fifth-round pick Shedeur Sanders. Allar might’ve made the wrong choice in the short term, but the right one long term.

Being a problem solver is part of being an NFL quarterback, but Allar has too often been just part of the offense and able to manage it. His physical tools make it seem like he’s more ready and able to handle more, but Allar’s performance and play style continually contradict our biases that come with his frame.

The Nittany Lions are somewhat to blame here as they’ve failed to surround Allar with a quality receiving corps. As good as Tyler Warren and Nicholas Singleton are, and they’re both top-100 talents in the 2025 class, Penn State had to give Warren wildcat QB snaps as they sought out easy offense.

The receiving corps failed to even garner a single reception against Notre Dame. Sharper throws would’ve helped, especially in avoiding a game-ending interception with 33 seconds left. His misguided throw led the receiver too far, but he was also under pressure and heaving it. 

Earlier this offseason, 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.