JD PicKell: Penn State primed to take next step toward CFP field in 2023

Penn State could take the next step to the College Football Playoff with Drew Allar at quarterback.

On3’s J.D. PicKell weighed the possibility of Allar elevating the Nittany Lions offense in 2023 and putting Penn State in position to go higher than ever. 

PicKell broke down the possibility on The Hard Count.

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“Now they enter into the Drew Allar era,” PicKell said. “I was talking to Charles Power, Director of scouting ranks for On3 … and he is very high on Penn State. And one of the things that I think was interesting that Charles said is they’re in a year where a lot of their top talent will cycle up. Now what does he mean by that? They have guys like Nick Singleton, Abdul Carter, Kaytron Allen, where they’re all going to get a year further along in their development process. They get a whole ‘nother offseason to work on speed to get more comfortable in the system to get some more size on them. 

“They’re in a special place where they’re going to get developed, and now have a chance to translate it out onto the field and it’s marrying up perfectly where it’s a lot of the roster cycling up at the right time. Sometimes you get one or two guys cycling up, in terms of like I just said the maturation development happens for another year, but they’re in a place where a lot of the top talent will cycle up.” 

All in all, if Penn State can take the next step, the Nittany Lions need Allar at the top of his game.

“I think it all comes down to is Drew Allar as good as advertised,” PicKell said. “I think that’s it because on paper you bring in a more talented quarterback. I did not say better quarterback, but in terms of physical tools, in terms of just what God gave him, Drew Allar has a little bit more of that than what Sean Clifford had. Now Sean Clifford was really effective because he made good decisions, was a great leader, was gritty as heck, and that experience paid off for him.

“Allar doesn’t have that experience just yet. But if he can fast track that and get comfortable in this offense quickly, he’s got all the tools to be really dangerous to make this Penn State offense really dangerous.”

Can Drew Allar lead Penn State to College Football Playoff?

“I don’t think it’s unrealistic to think you have a chance to find yourself in the College Football Playoff,” Pickell said. “I mean, look at Ohio State. They lost the Michigan in the last game of the year but that was their only loss and it was a good loss. If Penn State finds themselves in the same situation where they have a loss to Ohio State but they beat Michigan or vice versa, it’s not a bad loss. We are I think getting further and further from the days where we just see four undefeated teams end up in the College Football Playoff. 

“I don’t think that’s really going to happen here anytime soon. So a one-loss Penn State, to one of those teams, winning the Big Ten title, which would be a nice cherry on top, I’m telling you, I think Penn State’s an exciting team to watch. Keep an eye on the Nittany Lions.”