Todd McShay has bad news for Steelers fans excited about Drew Allar

The Pittsburgh Steelers made one of the more interesting selections of the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft when they grabbed Penn State quarterback Drew Allar with overall choice No. 76.

It remains to be seen if Allar will be given an opportunity to compete with 2025 rookie Will Howard and longtime backup Mason Rudolph for Pittsburgh's QB2 job this coming summer. During a recent edition of his podcast, well-known analyst Todd McShay of The Ringer indicated that he isn't confident Allar will find success at the highest level.

Todd McShay would "take Will Howard over Drew Allar"

"Drew Allar needs some work," McShay explained, per Troy Montgomery of Steelers Depot. "I'll say this. Mike McCarthy is a really good guy for him to go with...they've got Will Howard, who I like more. I'd take Will Howard over Drew Allar. But they see something in [Allar], and who am I to say they can't? If Mike McCarthy thinks he has the tools to fix that, I'm all for it. I just haven't seen it..."

Howard was seen as a developmental project when the Steelers acquired him with a sixth-round pick last spring. He then took no regular-season snaps as future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers served as the club's first-choice option at the position through the wild-card round of the playoffs. 

It continues to sound like people associated with the Steelers believe Rodgers will spend at least one more campaign as the club's QB1. Thus, Allar probably won't play as a rookie unless something goes terribly wrong for the Steelers over the next eight months or so. 

For what it's worth, McCarthy has made it known ever since he became Pittsburgh's head coach this past winter that he is quite high on Howard.

Why Todd McShay isn't completely down on the Steelers drafting Drew Allar

"I don't have a problem with [the Steelers] taking [Allar] here," McShay continued. "...This is the third round. You have a quarterback void...Drew Allar would never be a quarterback that I would draft. But Mike McCarthy sees something in him, and that's why they took him."

Even if Rodgers stuns the Steelers by deciding to retire, McCarthy could start Rudolph or Howard so that Allar can develop while completing what would become a redshirt rookie season. Then again, perhaps Allar will look like a revelation during preseason games this coming summer after he spends some time learning from McCarthy and Rodgers.