Drake Maye drew comparisons to Tom Brady after leading the New England Patriots to a Super Bowl appearance last season. Now, a rookie quarterback on the Pittsburgh Steelers is being likened to Maye, which instantly raises both expectations and questions about how the newcomer might develop.

The Steelers selected Drew Allar in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft, and analysts say he shares several worrying traits with Maye.

“The comparison isn’t perfect, but there are similarities. Going through my notes on Maye, many of the concerns sound familiar: inconsistent footwork, occasional accuracy lapses, a tendency to drift into pressure and stretches where he’d bypass easier throws in search of bigger plays downfield,” Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports wrote June 5.

Maye finished last season with a league-high 72% completion rate, but he was sacked 47 times, the third-most in the NFL. The 23-year-old often held the ball too long while hunting for big plays.

Allar, who signed a four-year, $7.1 million contract with the Steelers, posted a 66.5% completion rate in the 2024 season. He also tends to hold the ball and force throws under pressure. That led to eight interceptions across 16 games that year.

Last season, Allar played just six games after suffering a broken left ankle in October, but he’s reported to be fully healthy now.

“The physical gifts are certainly there with Allar - they are why he was once considered to be a first-round pick ahead of the 2025 college football season, and why many find him to be one of the most intriguing prospects of this year’s class,” Wilson added.

So, even with those questions, people inside the Steelers’ building have been impressed with the rookie.

Pat Freiermuth Applauds Drew Allar’s Work Ethic

Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth praised Drew Allar for his participation and work culture during mandatory minicamp.

"It’s just been cool to see him here. [The] first couple days as a pro is really tough on a rookie – new team, new building…but he’s been really progressing really well. He led the team down on a two-minute drive the other day. It’s just been great to see him get more comfortable in the locker room and the offense," Freiermuth told steelers.com.

Pittsburgh has a crowded quarterback room: Aaron Rodgers (projected starter), Allar, Will Howard (entering his second season) and Mason Rudolph. Allar and Howard will be developing behind Rodgers this year.

“I’ve definitely learned a ton,” Allar said. “Like Aaron’s done a great job of just being very open with me, answering all my questions. Pulling me aside during practices, if he sees something, and me asking him a lot of questions.”

Allar arrives with four years of starting experience at Penn State. In three of those seasons, he threw for more than 1,000 yards, and he led the Big Ten in touchdowns with 25 in 2023.

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Written by

Shubhi Rathore

Edited by

Shubhi Rathore