Who is Josh Allen?
Only a few Quarterbacks have had a better start to the 2020 season than Buffalo Bills starting Quarterback Josh Allen. Now off to a 2-0 start, many people believe that Josh Allen, an unknown commodity drafted out of the University of Wyoming back in 2017, is now a dark horse MVP candidate. Others are asking, “Who is Josh Allen?” and for Josh, this is the story of his life.
Humble Beginnings For A Kid From Firebaugh, California
Josh grew up in Firebaugh, California, which is a small town outside of Fresno with a population of a little over 8,000. Josh, who grew up on a ranch, appreciated where he was from but was ready to get out. His senior year of High School, the only Division I offer he received was not from University of Southern California or his favorite team, Fresno State, but from San Diego State as a walk-on. Instead of being a walk-on, he chose to take his talents to Reedley, California where he would play for a year at Reedley Junior College.
The Unexpected School That Gave Allen What He Wanted
After not seeing any playing time in the first three games of the season, Josh Allen came off the bench for Reedley in 2014 and never looked back. After a year where he threw 25 touchdowns to just 4 interceptions, many of his coaches and teammates believed that Division I offer was on its way, but by the end of the season Allen had to send emails to every Division I school in the country. He was offered a scholarship from two schools, Eastern Michigan and the University of Wyoming. Eastern Michigan eventually retracted their scholarship offer after Allen took a recruiting visit to Laramie, Wyoming and after an in-home visit made by Wyoming Head Coach Craig Bohl, where he would tell Josh and his family that he would become the face of his program. Allen made it official, he was now a Wyoming Cowboy.
A New Sheriff Is In Town
Josh Allen’s legendary career at Wyoming got off to a rough start after he suffered a collarbone injury his first year and had to redshirt. Coming into his redshirt sophomore season in 2016, after winning a Quarterback competition during Spring Practice, Allen was ready to take the reins as the starting Quarterback for the Wyoming Cowboys. On Saturday, September 3rd, 2016, after a 110-minute lightning delay for a game that had an 8:30 PM kickoff time, Allen went from an unknown kid from California to a hero. With the game going back and forth, resulting in a triple-overtime game, Josh Allen scored on a game winning seven-yard touchdown run to beat the Northern Illinois Huskies led by Kenny Golladay, who is now a star wide receiver for the Detroit Lions, 40-34. Allen would go on to lead Wyoming to a Division Championship, Conference Championship appearance, and a Bowl game for the first time since 2011.
Heading to the Poinsettia Bowl Against BYU, a Mock Draft article came out through Bleacher Report. It was a draft class that already had the likes of Clemson Quarterback Deshaun Watson and Texas Tech Quarterback Patrick Mahomes, but there was another Quarterback on the list that caught people by surprise, Wyoming Quarterback Josh Allen. This mock draft projected Allen as a top 10 pick to the Chicago Bears. After the bowl game in which Wyoming would lose to BYU 24-21, Allen told many teammates and coaches that he was going to declare for the NFL Draft but was talked out of it by Offensive Coordinator Brent Vigen, who also had the help of another former recruit of his, Philadelphia Eagles starting Quarterback Carson Wentz. Allen decided to stay for one more year, but his draft buzz kept skyrocketing. Per well-known NFL Insider Adam Schefter of ESPN, “There was one personnel director who told me this week that you can put in the books, Josh Allen will be the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft next year.”
One Last Ride Toward the Path of the NFL Draft
Laramie, Wyoming was buzzing. It’s been a long time since they were even mentioned on outlets like ESPN. That would all change during the 2017 season. Junior star quarterback Josh Allen had many draft experts thinking he would be drafted number one by the Cleveland Browns in the upcoming NFL Draft. Josh had to prove himself, yet after a rocky start where he would struggle against Iowa and Oregon, followed by a mid-season injury against Air Force, he still had a chance to show why people like ESPN Draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. believed he was the next best prospect coming out of college. In the Idaho Potato Bowl against Central Michigan, he did just that. Allen dominated the game against the Chippewas with three first quarter touchdown passes and led Wyoming to a dominating 37-14 win, proving his NFL worth yet again.
Time For The Underdog to Prove Himself
The 2017 College Football season was over for most teams and their players. Not for Josh Allen, who was a Senior Bowl participant and an NFL Combine invitee. In the Senior Bowl, he was the starting Quarterback for the North team along with Oklahoma Quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Baker Mayfield behind him. The North would lose to the South 45-16, but Allen still earned praise, after completing 9 of 13 pass attempts for 154 yards and two touchdown passes. His performance earned him MVP for the North team. At the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, he put on a show for all 32 NFL teams. His measurables were compared to the likes of former number one pick, Cam Newton and former number two pick, Carson Wentz. He also ran a 4.75 second 40-yard dash which was top 10 for his position and he did so well in the passing session that he was able to overthrow a receiver and still impressed with his arm strength which was clocked at 49 MPH. Allen did everything he had to, and now it was time.
The New Face of the Buffalo Bills
It was draft day, Cleveland already announced their pick and it caught many people off guard. Instead of Josh Allen, fellow Quarterback from University of Southern California Sam Darnold, or star Penn State Running back Saquon Barkley, Cleveland went with Baker Mayfield from Oklahoma. Allen only had to wait until pick seven to hear his name announced by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Allen was selected by the Buffalo Bills, and was now a member of Bills Nation. The same kid who was overlooked in High School, the same kid who had to take it upon himself to send emails to every Division I school in the country while in Junior College, and the same kid who helped put a small Division I school in Laramie, Wyoming into the national spotlight made his dreams come true.
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