Drew Allar was the fourth quarterback selected in the draft, and he was the Steelers’ third draft pick. Still, he’s one of the more popular members of the NFL’s rookie class. Of all rookies, Allar is currently fourth in the league in jersey sales.
It’s pretty notable, as Allar’s jersey has sold more than Fernando Mendoza’s, the first overall pick. Currently, the only rookies with more of their jerseys sold are Caleb Downs, Jacob Rodriguez, and Malachi Lawrence.
Despite being a third-round pick, Allar’s height on this list shows how strong the Steelers’ brand remains, despite the team not having any postseason glory lately. But Allar was also one of the more popular rookies in general. Coming into the 2025 season, many thought he’d be a first-round pick, and he was considered one of the better quarterbacks in college football.
Unfortunately, that year didn’t go as planned. Allar suffered a season-ending injury in the third game of a tough losing skid for Penn State, and his draft stock tanked. However, he found himself in a solid situation in Pittsburgh. His traits certainly give him high upside. And he’s already improving his mechanics, starting with McCarthy during rookie minicamp a little over a week ago.
He likely won’t face playing time too early, as Aaron Rodgers will start this season. And on the first day of OTAs on Monday, Allar was the fourth-string quarterback behind Will Howard and Mason Rudolph. Each of those two would figure to have the upper hand on Allar for the backup role.
It will be a long process for Allar. With playing time not looking especially likely this season, he could be in a tough spot if the Steelers considered taking a quarterback early in the draft next offseason. But McCarthy’s interest is clearly there. And if Allar can show enough progress this season, he certainly has the chance to force the Steelers’ decision.
We won’t see for a while whether Allar ends up being Pittsburgh’s next franchise quarterback. And as a third-round pick, the odds aren’t exactly in his favor. But Steelers fans seem to be getting ahead of things, as Allar’s jersey is the fourth-highest-selling in the entire rookie class.