Right now, I wished to proceed studying concerning the 2026 NFL Draft class for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Up subsequent is Penn State QB Drew Allar, chosen within the third spherical of this April’s draft. The objective of the article is to evaluate his success from a route-type perspective, together with individual-season information, alongside together with his ultimate three seasons in complete from a stats perspective.
First, here’s a yearly breakdown of passing stats by route kind. Included within the information are completions/makes an attempt, yards, touchdowns, interceptions, and adjusted web yards per try (ANY/A). All stats are from Sports activities Data Options (SIS), and the desk is sorted by most makes an attempt over the three-year span:
Numerous worthwhile data to unpack. For starters, broad takeaways embody Allar’s ultimate 2025 season being underwhelming and shortened (six video games performed), with particular context of stronger play in 2023 and 2024 total.
Allar’s high three focused routes since 2023 have been screens, outs, and curls. Nothing earth-shattering there, with these routes generally utilized by many quarterbacks.
Fourth most typical have been digs, an intermediate in-breaker to the center of the sphere. Sadly, the standard was missing, together with the worst completion charge thus far, with no touchdowns and three interceptions (all in 2024, his ultimate full season). Just like the frequency, and maybe throwing to fellow rookie Germie Bernard, who was profitable on the route kind, may assist shifting ahead.
Rounding out the highest 5 is flat routes, one other high-percentage cross, typically talking. This was Allar’s second-highest completion charge of the highest 5 route sorts thrown (solely to screens), and his highest TD complete of 5 thus far, together with no interceptions.
Slants have been sixth in frequency, additionally that includes no interceptions, together with 4 touchdowns. Contemplating Steelers WR is named a slant king, this might bode properly when/if Allar sees the sphere.
The remaining route sorts had fewer than 50 makes an attempt over three years. So low pattern sizes in any other case, and missing some route selection that he’ll probably want within the NFL. Some notables by season do stand out, although.
Trying on the ANY/A numbers in Allar’s ultimate 2025 season, we see that go/fly, deep cross, and submit have been low pattern, however boomed in outcomes, together with 4 TDs and no interceptions. That is sensible given his arm power and performs on his spotlight reels.
Submit routes have been significantly wholesome ends in the opposite two seasons I examined, particularly 2024, with six touchdowns and no interceptions. Allar had one different route kind in 2024 with six TDs and no interceptions – the seam route. This was additionally fairly efficient in 2023, albeit amount over high quality, with all three completions going for touchdowns. That will absolutely be welcomed if he’s in a position to translate it to the NFL.
I may go on, however let’s go forward and transfer to the general information from 2023-2025. The identical stats stay (with completion charge added), however compiled with the objective of being extra digestible, together with conditional formatting for faster takeaways:
Prime 5 Makes an attempt: display, out, curl, dig, flat.
Prime 5 Completions: display, curl, out, flat, slant.
Prime 5 Completion Charges (min. 50 makes an attempt): display, flat, curl, slant, out.
Prime 6 Yardage (min. 500): display, out, curl, damaged play, dig, submit.
Most Touchdowns: submit (9), seam (9), fade (seven), flat (5), deep cross (5).
Least Interceptions (min. 50 makes an attempt): flat (none), slant (none), out (none), display (none), curl (one).
Prime 5 ANY/A: submit (20.8), deep cross (17.2), seam (14.5), nook (13.4), beneath (12.6).
This breakdown actually zeros in on essentially the most profitable route ideas for Allar throughout nearly all of his faculty profession.
Now for the flipside. There have been a number of route ideas that he merely didn’t throw or wasn’t requested to execute. Nearly half of the checklist had fewer than 25 makes an attempt over Allar’s final three seasons: test & launch, wheel, go/fly, nook, beneath, double transfer deep, whip, fade/again shoulder, angle, over ball, jet sweep cross, fast, and jerk.
Backside 5 Makes an attempt: jerk, fast, jet sweep cross, over ball, angle, fade/again shoulder.
Backside 5 Completions: jerk, fast, fade/again shoulder, over ball, double transfer deep.
Worst Completion Charges (50-percent or decrease): fade/again shoulder, double transfer deep, go/fly, fade, comeback, over ball, wheel, deep cross, dig.
Least Yardage (lower than 100): fast, jerk, jet sweep cross, fade/again shoulder, over ball, angle, double transfer deep, whip.
Routes with no TDs: curl, dig, comeback, swing, double transfer deep, whip, over ball, jet sweep cross, jerk, fast.
Route sorts with INTs: dig (three), go/fly (two), fade/again shoulder (two), curl (one), damaged play (one), fade (one), submit (one), test & launch (one), wheel (one).
Backside 5 ANY/A: fade/again shoulder (-12.4), fast (-1.0), jet sweep cross (3.3), swing (4.5), test & launch (4.5).
Whereas the NFL is a special animal, hope you loved the detailed examine of what transpired throughout nearly all of Allar’s faculty profession. I can’t wait to see the way it pans out.
