Buffalo Bills trade up to pick number seven in 2018 NFL Draft, pick quarterback Josh Allen

With the number seven overall pick in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills have selected Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen. The Bills had to trade both of their second round picks to the Denver Broncos to nab their quarterback.

Allen, a junior, is considered one of the more “boom-or-bust” prospects in this year’s draft class. (Read our scouting report here.) If a quarterback were to be cast in a film, he fits the mold--at 6’5” and 237 lbs., he has ideal size for the position, and his 10 ⅛ -inch hands are huge. His arm strength is fantastic, and he provides plenty of upside at the position. However, the risk with drafting him should not go unmentioned. As a two-year starter in a non-Power Five conference, he only managed to complete 56% of passes, totaling 44 passing touchdowns and 21 interceptions over those two seasons. While Allen has drawn some comparisons to Carson Wentz based on his size and small-school background, Wentz completed 63% of his passes over his two years as starting quarterback, throwing 43 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in his junior and senior seasons. Allen threw for 5,015 yards in his two seasons as a starter; Wentz threw for 4,762 yards in his two seasons as a full-time starter.

Most of the difference between the two has to do with the ability to throw receivers open, or throw with anticipation, however you’d prefer to say it. While his mechanics are solid and his throwing motion compact, his consistency in repeating those sound mechanics is not at all consistent. He will deliver some beautiful passes when a clean pocket exists, but he will also fire some questionable throws when he has to extend plays. He comes from an offense which gave him plenty of experience in different drops from under center, and he seems to be especially comfortable throwing off of play-action; however, his anticipation and consistency will need to improve dramatically if he is ever to reach his ceiling.

We picked Allen in the SB Nation Mock Draft because we thought he was high on the board. Guess we were right.