NFL Draft insider links Drew Allar to Jets after private workout

We can officially add ESPN NFL Draft analyst Matt Miller to a growing list of media members who, if the New York Jets draft Penn State quarterback Drew Allar in April, will get to point and say, “Told you so.”

In his March 26 mock draft, Miller named Allar as the top non-first-round prospect he believes the Jets should target next month.

“The 6-foot-5, 228-pounder has the biggest arm in this draft class and plus mobility,” Miller wrote. “An ankle injury derailed his final college season, but Allar’s potential is high if he’s developed.”

Allar was a full participant at the NFL combine, only months after breaking his left ankle in mid-October. There is no indication that his recovery would sideline him during offseason workouts or training camp.

Miller’s comments came shortly after SNY’s Connor Hughes reported that the Jets “came away pretty impressed” after recently hosting Allar and several of his Penn State teammates for a private workout.

Drew Allar makes (some) sense on paper, but the Jets can still do better

Who remembers the last time the Jets drafted a Penn State quarterback?

Alright then. I just think any conversation involving the Jets and a Penn State quarterback must feature at least one reference to the 2016 second-round pick, Christian Hackenberg, who never got into a game.

It’s not that I think drafting Allar on Day 2 would be that much of a disaster. And, obviously, the Jets’ current quarterback situation means that we need to discuss them likely taking at least one in the draft.

Call me cynical, but I just can’t get excited about most of these quarterbacks, especially not if they’d be joining the Jets amid yet another rebuild. Look, the Jets can say otherwise, but Aaron Glenn’s seat should be scorching entering the 2026 season. Using a Day 2 pick on a quarterback when your defensive-minded head coach is already facing serious questions about his future and ability to succeed in New York feels like a recipe for disaster.

If the Jets are going to pick a quarterback in the upcoming draft, then the organization is better off identifying someone on Day 3, preferably someone with significant starting experience. Then, the team can develop them over the course of the season and provide a chance in December if (or when) the season is lost.

The idea isn’t exactly uncommon. The Dolphins did it with Quinn Ewers last year rather than turn to Zach Wilson. Cleveland tried something similar with Shedeur Sanders after injuries forced him into a role that netted him one of the most absurd Pro Bowl selections in league history.

Miami and Cleveland both fired their coaches, so it’ll be on Jeff Hafley and Todd Monken, respectively, to determine how Ewers and Sanders might figure into their team’s long-term outlook. Malik Willis’ arrival in free agency means that Ewers will almost certainly begin 2026 on the bench, but at least the Dolphins took their chance on Ewers in the sixth round rather than the second or third.

If the choice comes down to selecting Allar in Round 2 or Carson Beck on Day 3, I’m going the Miami (and Georgia) route. But, as is often the case, I don’t expect the Jets to listen.