Draft Profile
Name: Josh Allen
Position: Quarterback
School: Wyoming
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 233 pounds
Projected Round: Round One
Stats
Strengths
Allen has the big size and frame that NFL coaches desire. He has a filled-out frame that will be able to withstand hits while in the pocket. His size and strength make it difficult for defenders to bring him down in the pocket. After shaking off a defender, he has the athleticism to scramble to extend and make plays.
Allen has the best arm talent in the entire draft. He has elite arm strength that allows him to make every throw. He can release throws very quickly when a window opens. Can deliver throws into tight windows because of his strong arm. Uses his strong arm to throw to the sideline quickly, not allowing defenders to get into position to make a play on the ball.
When scrambling out of the pocket, his arm strength allows him to deliver explosive throws when he is on the move. But he is not afraid to tuck the ball and run to get first downs. Moves his receivers when scrambling, creating windows to throw into.
Allen has the arm strength to put his deep ball in places that safeties can not get to. Uses pump fakes to freeze defenders, creating double move opportunities or to hold safeties from jumping on a deep route.
Allen has experience playing under center. Wyoming coaches had him read the entire field and go through all his progressions.
Weaknesses
Allen completed only 56.3 percent of his passes, leading to serious questions about his accuracy. Although he did not play with the best receivers, he was unable to make his surrounding cast better than they are.
Part of his accuracy problems come from his reliance on his arm strength to make throws. He will overthrow footballs by not putting enough touch on his throws. He would also force throws into windows that were not there, creating a better chance for defenders to make a play on the ball.
Knowing the type of arm talent that he has, Allen will attempt too many explosive, low percentage throws downfield instead of hitting his check downs or shorter, high percentage throws. He will need to put a greater emphasis on controlling the ball instead of creating explosive plays.
Although he was put into an offense that made him read the entire field, his vision is very inconsistent. He does not do great of anticipating throws and will force the ball into places that his receiver was not expecting the pass to go to.
Allen’s muscle memory may not let coaches to work on his mechanics. It is very rare for inaccurate quarterbacks to become accurate in the pros. He will need a couple of years of work before being ready to play in the NFL. He also will need time to transition, as he did not play against the highest level of competition in college.
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Fit with the Cleveland Browns
Allen fits what Hue Jackson and Todd Haley like in a quarterback: tall and a huge arm. Both like to vertically stretch the field and create explosive plays. But Allen is not ready to play in year one, and maybe not even in year two. He needs to sit behind a veteran quarterback and learn everything about the NFL.
But the Browns do not currently have that quarterback. For Allen to make sense for the Browns, they need to make a move for a veteran quarterback to handle the starting duties for a few seasons. Whether it be Kirk Cousins, A.J. McCarron, or other free agent quarterbacks. The Browns need to make sure that they are not rushing Allen into games.
It is likely that Jackson would like to get his hands on Allen to work on his mechanics. With adjusted mechanics, Allen could potentially be more accurate. He could also learn from a veteran quarterback about when to use touch and how to control the velocity on his throws.
If the Browns were to give Allen time to develop, they could be getting the best quarterback in this draft. He has shown that he can make throws that not a lot of quarterbacks can make. If he can maintain drives and develop a good sense of when to push the ball downfield, a lot of the concerns about his game would be cured.
For a team like Cleveland, however, they may not want to wait the amount of time Allen needs to be a successful quarterback. They already have a bug armed developmental quarterback in DeShone Kizer, and they probably do not want another one. It would be a safer bet for the Browns to draft one of the readier quarterbacks at the top of the draft instead of Allen.
