INDIANAPOLIS — He hopes to emulate one of his mentors in Carson Wentz. He shares a physical resemblance to a young Ben Roethlisberger. His throwing velocity has drawn comparisons to other strong-armed predecessors like JaMarcus Russell and Kyle Boller. And his college completion percentage is reminiscent of another major draft bust in Jake Locker.
So who is Josh Allen?
Teams seeking a franchise quarterback will continue to get a clearer picture at this week’s NFL Scouting Combine.
During the past two seasons at the University of Wyoming, Allen has displayed some of the traits that could help him leapfrog other top prospects like Southern Cal’s Sam Darnold and UCLA’s Josh Rosen to become the 2018 NFL Draft’s No. 1 overall pick.
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The 6-5, 237-pound Allen has ideal size for a pocket passer combined with the mobility to elude pressure or effectively run if called upon. Allen’s arm strength — one of his passes was clocked at 66 miles per hour at the Reese's Senior Bowl — is another huge positive, especially for NFL clubs like the QB-needy Browns that play in outdoor stadiums with challenging weather conditions.
But then there are the warning signs that indicate Allen might not be destined for pro success. The biggest red flag is accuracy. Allen’s completion percentages the past two years — 56.0 in 2016 and 56.3 in 2017 — could be a harbinger of struggles to come.
"What I would hope to see is by the time he throws the ball on Pro Day (at Wyoming in March) is a more consistent thrower from the ground up," NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock said earlier this week on a media conference call. “I don't want to see every fourth or fifth ball get missiled somewhere and you go, ‘Where did that come from?'
"So his (college) team wasn't very good. He didn't have a lot of receivers. You can make up excuses. But at the end of the day, if you're taking a high pick on a kid with a 56 completion percentage, the anticipation better be that you think you can help that get over 60."
Mayock correctly pointed out that Combine drills won’t necessarily generate a clearer picture of Allen’s accuracy, because he will be working with unfamiliar wide receivers. Allen, though, hopes to display some of the progress he has made while training with former NFL quarterback Jordan Palmer.
"There's got to be a fine line where I can find I’m still throwing the ball how I usually throw it but it’s able to dive down after a certain height and get to the guy," Allen told co-host Rick Neuheisel and me last month at the Reese’s Senior Bowl on SiriusXM NFL Radio. "It’s something I’m working on.
"I definitely think some receivers here haven’t experienced catching a ball as hard as I throw. I definitely need to do everything I can to help whoever is going to catch the ball."
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According to Denver head coach Vance Joseph, Allen helped himself at the Senior Bowl working with the Broncos’ offensive staff in fine-tuning different parts of his game. Allen, who was allowed to participate in the Senior Bowl as an underclassman because he earned his undergraduate degree (communications), spent the week trying to master a 60-play game plan while also honing his mechanics.
Joseph, whose team is potentially in the rookie quarterback market with the No. 5 overall pick, said Broncos assistants brought all of the quarterbacks they were coaching — including Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield and Washington State’s Luke Falk — onto the practice field 45 minutes early each day for expanded drills.
The work paid dividends for Allen in the Senior Bowl game itself. He was named the North Squad’s Most Outstanding Player after completing nine of 13 passes for 158 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran five times for 19 yards.
"Josh is a gifted passer,” Joseph said Wednesday at the Combine. “He won’t have any problems making any throw he has to make in the NFL.
"Obviously, he has to get better like most young quarterbacks in terms of anticipation, making clean reads and all those things. But as part of the arm talent, he’s special."
The same was said of Wentz when he was coming out of North Dakota State for the 2016 draft. One of Wentz’s former college head coaches, Craig Bohl, recruited Allen from Reedley (Calif.) Community College to Wyoming in 2015.
Allen said he takes any parallels drawn between Wentz and him as "a badge of honor."
"I understand the type of player and person Carson is," Allen said. "I definitely think he was going to win the MVP (award) if he didn't suffer his leg injury this year.
"People say I’m like him. That doesn't hurt my feelings one bit. If I can follow in his exact footsteps, that would be perfect."
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Allen said he consulted with Wentz before deciding to turn pro.
"He explained to me that when you're stepping into (an NFL) locker room with 30-year-old guys, they’ve got kids, they’ve got families,” said Allen, who turns 22 in May. “They’re looking at you to lead their franchise and come in and win games.
"If you’re not ready for that, it’s going to eat you mentally and you might be out of the league in three to four years. That’s something I don’t want to experience."
Neither do the teams that are putting Allen under a microscope trying to forecast exactly what the future will hold.
Alex Marvez can be heard from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. ET Thursday and Friday on SiriusXM NFL Radio.
