Wyoming Football: Is Josh Allen a sure-fire franchise quarterback?
Measurables
Josh Allen is listed at 6-foot-5 and 222 pounds.
Of the 21 quarterbacks taken in the top 60 picks of the NFL draft since 2012 only four have measured in at 6-foot-5 or taller.
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Allen’s height is an distinct advantage for a quarterback operating in a pro style offense, ensuring that he will be able to survey the field with ease and accuracy in a crowded pocket.
However, since 2012 none of the profiled quarterbacks taller than 6-foot-5 (including Allen) have completed 65 percent or more of their passes in college. While the additional height doesn’t seem to have an impact on accuracy, it does appear to have an impact on interception totals.
Of the four quarterbacks standing 6-foot-5 or taller, three averaged less than 20 interceptions in their college careers, only Paxton Lynch threw more than 20 (23). However, when Allen is finished with his college career this average is sure to change.
Allen has already thrown 15 interceptions in his 15 starts as the Wyoming Cowboys’ starting quarterback. While it’s impossible to determine exactly how accurate Josh will be next season, his accuracy is worth consideration when evaluating his future potential.
While Josh Allen’s height is ideal for a starting quarterback, his weight is another story.
Allen only weighs 222 pounds, putting him in roughly the 50th percentile of our sample quarterbacks. On tape, Josh looks fairly lanky, with long arms and a slender torso.
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As a starting quarterback in the NFL, Allen will be facing off against defensive lineman and linebackers who will all outweigh him every week, with the express intention of hitting him on every down. If Josh is to become a franchise quarterback he will more likely than not be asked to gain some weight, and additional muscle mass.
This is especially important with Allen’s playing style.
Josh does not shy away from contact, and at time holds the ball too long in the pocket. In his 15 NCAA starts Josh ran the ball 146 times and was sacked 27 times.
Allen has already missed almost the entirety of his first season at Wyoming with a broken collarbone, so teams will need to make sure that he can remain healthy for a full 16-game season if they are going to select him in the first round.