Christopher Carter did not mince words regarding the Pittsburgh Steelers’ potential interest in Penn State quarterback Drew Allar. The “Locked On Steelers” host tore into the prospect during his latest episode, urging the front office to look elsewhere in the 2026 NFL Draft. Carter went as far as ranking current Steelers backup Will Howard significantly ahead of the former Nittany Lion.
Pittsburgh holds a significant haul of mid-round draft capital this year. Head coach Mike McCarthy recently noted his desire to add a developmental arm to the roster. Analysts across the league continue to connect Allar to Pittsburgh due to his local ties and prototypical size.
Carter refuses to buy the hype. He watched Allar struggle in high-leverage situations and sees a player who is lacking the necessary mental makeup for the professional level.
Why Christopher Carter Prefers Will Howard Over Drew Allar for the Steelers
The physical tools stand out immediately when evaluating Allar. He possesses a towering frame and arm strength that can stretch the field vertically. Those traits led to early optimism during his tenure in State College.
During his first two seasons in Happy Valley, Allar earned a PFSN CFB QB Impact score of 80.6 and 80.4, respectively. That ranked him 20th overall in 2024. That ranking dropped significantly in 2025 when he plummeted to 70th overall, with a score of 78.7.
“Freshman year he came in, started filling in, had some good tosses,” Carter said on the podcast. “Sophomore year, I was like, ‘Okay, that’s good for a young buck.'”
The development stalled during his critical junior campaign. Carter highlighted a concerning trend of poor decisions against premium competition. The analyst dismissed the popular narrative that a weak supporting cast was to blame for the quarterback’s struggles.
“I hear you that things weren’t the best at Penn State, especially this past year,” Carter said. “They did not have good receivers. They did not have the tight end threats that they’ve had for the past few years. I get you entirely. And that wasn’t at all fair to Drew Allar and his situation, but man, that man is a fifth- or sixth-round pick.”
The criticism grew sharper when compared to Howard. The Steelers selected Howard in the 2025 NFL Draft following a national championship run at Ohio State. Howard spent time on injured reserve during his rookie season.
Carter doesn’t view Howard as a viable starting option for Pittsburgh right now, barring an emergency. Yet, he still heavily prefers the former Buckeye over the incoming Penn State product.
“If I put Drew Allar up against Will Howard, I’m taking Will Howard,” Carter said. “Will Howard 10 times over Drew Allar. Not because I like one over the other. I just watched both of these guys play and too many times I just saw Drew Allar just fold in big moments, make terrible decisions, terrible mechanics.”
Drafting quarterbacks based purely on physical traits carries immense risk. NFL evaluators constantly search for players “created in a lab,” a description Carter agrees fits Allar perfectly. Converting raw ability into functional quarterback play remains the league’s toughest challenge.
“You look at a lot of his highlights, they’re throwing to wide open guys that were schemed open,” Carter noted. He pointed out that those receivers were frequently beating their defenders so badly that the throws required minimal anticipation or precision.
How Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers Shape the Steelers’ Quarterback Room
The Steelers face a fascinating dynamic under center heading into the 2026 season. McCarthy continues to express extreme confidence that veteran Aaron Rodgers will return for another year. Rodgers captured multiple MVP awards while playing for McCarthy in Green Bay, and his play in Pittsburgh helped secure a division title last season.
Adding a rookie into that mix requires careful consideration. A mid-round pick would enter a crowded room featuring Rodgers, Howard, and veteran Mason Rudolph.
Some analysts argue that Pittsburgh offers the perfect landing spot for a raw prospect. The opportunity to study behind a future Hall of Famer could provide the necessary runway for mechanical fixes. Carter shut down that theory regarding Allar.
“If you drafted Drew Allar in the fifth round and brought in Mike McCarthy and said, ‘Hey, Drew, we just want you to shut up and learn from Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers and Will Howard’ … I’m sorry, I just do not see it for him being some high pick,” Carter said.
General manager Omar Khan and assistant GM Andy Weidl rebuilt this roster through aggressive, trench-focused drafting. The draft capital Pittsburgh accumulated provides significant flexibility. Burning a Day 2 selection on a project quarterback could derail that momentum.
Carter prefers seeing the organization continue its trend of finding hidden gems in the later rounds or focusing on offensive line depth. He praised the development of local prospects in the past, but simply doesn’t see that trajectory for the Penn State signal-caller.
“He has had chance after chance after chance to prove that he’s better than what people think he is and he’s not changed that mind,” Carter said. “I’ve watched enough Penn State games to see that and just be like, he got a very long way to go.”
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The Steelers have thoroughly scouted the quarterback class leading up to the draft. McCarthy explicitly mentioned seeking a specific physical profile featuring large hand measurements and adequate arm length. Allar checks those boxes on paper.
Game tape tells a different story entirely. Pittsburgh needs certainty if they plan to maximize the closing window of the Rodgers era. Taking a massive swing on a player known for folding under pressure offers minimal value to a roster built to win immediately.
