Jim Nagy shares expectations for Drew Allar in new Penn State offense

In 2022, Drew Allar arrived at Penn State with plenty of hype as a highly touted recruit. He spent his freshman season backing up Sean Clifford, and he showed flashes of potential during his first full season as the starter.

But Allar’s numbers didn’t necessarily jump off the page as the Penn State offense struggled. That led James Franklin to make a coordinator change and bring in Andy Kotelnicki from Kansas – a move Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy said could help Allar take a necessary leap forward.

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Allar had a 25-2 touchdown-to-interception ratio a year ago, showcasing his ability to avoid turning the ball over. But under Mike Yurcich, Penn State didn’t throw the ball downfield very much, and that’s a key part of his game that needs to grow. As NFL evaluators look on, Nagy said opening up the offense could go a long way in Allar’s development.

“Certainly, the tools are there, and that’s why the NFL is excited about him, intrigued by him,” Nagy told Andy Staples on Andy Staples On3. “But he knows he needs to play well in those big games, and I do. I think the change in offense is gonna help him.

“Again, you look at last year’s team, they’ve got two stud running backs. They had Tyler Warren and Theo Johnson at tight end. They’ve got a lot of explosive pieces, but they weren’t really an explosive offense. I think you’re gonna see them attack down the field more, which is gonna open some things up and it’s gonna help Drew.”

Drew Allar arrived on campus as a five-star recruit and the No. 28 overall recruit from the 2022 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. His skillset is also intriguing to NFL scouts, according to Nagy, but his performance will determine his draft hopes this year.

Allar threw for 2,643 yards a year ago as Penn State went 10-4. But with weapons such as Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton back in the fold – not to mention Julian Fleming coming in to bolster the wide receiver position – he could be in position to make an impression on scouts.

“He’s the quarterback in this class that is a little bit of a wild card when you talk to NFL scouts in terms of where teams have him because the teams that are banking on the tools and the upside and are glass-half-full on him have him in a certain range,” Nagy said. “And then, teams that are a little more cautious, waiting on these big-game moments and the clutch ability and how does this whole thing come together, they might have him a little lower. But we’re excited to see him this fall.”