Thread: Todd McShay mocks Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen to the Broncos

Oh, goody. Another Paxton Lynch here we go!

Todd McShay mocks Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen to the Broncos
53 comments
It’s beginning to look a lot like mock draft season.
By Scotty Payne@Skotty_Payne Dec 13, 2017, 10:01am MST

Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

ESPN’s draft expert Todd McShay has released his first mock draft of the year and he has the Broncos addressing the quarterback position. Many want Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield but McShay has the Broncos taking the very raw Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen.

If there ever was a “John Elway quarterback”, Allen would be it. He has the height, he has a cannon for an arm, he’s athletic, and he also is super raw/project. This basically sums up his last two high round quarterback selections.

Jared Tokarz @NFLDraftInsider

NFL Scout text on Josh Allen “Great, he has The meauseables you look for. So did Brock Osweiler. He’s a long term project”
8:13 PM - Dec 7, 2017

Here is what McShay had to say about his reasoning behind this selection.

5. Denver Broncos

Josh Allen, QB, Wyoming*

Even after taking Paxton Lynch No. 26 overall in 2016, the Broncos are clearly still in need of a franchise QB. Lynch has thrown only 97 passes in two seasons, and he was beaten by Trevor Siemian for the starting QB spot this season. If Denver doesn't address the position in free agency, Allen should be the pick. There's no question that he struggled this season at Wyoming and needs to improve his decision-making, but he lost four of his skill position players from 2016 to the NFL. Allen has an elite arm and is a physical freak in terms of his skill set. His stock should rise in the postseason process.

I have mixed feelings about Allen. Yes, he looks the part much like Paxton Lynch did, but he’s likely not day one ready and will need some seasoning before taking that next step or two as an NFL quarterback. Again, another “boom or bust quarterback”, and I am not sure that is what this team needs right now.

First off, I think Allen will go in the same range that Paxton Lynch went. To a playoff team that has an aging quarterback(Steelers?) and can let him sit and grow before hitting the field. I would absolutely not take him in the top 5. I have my doubts about the Broncos interest in either Baker Mayfield or Lamar Jackson, but I’d take both over Allen right now no questions asked.

Here is the order McShay has the quarterbacks going in his mock draft.

1: Sam Darnold - Cleveland Browns

2: Josh Rosen - New York Giants

5: Josh Allen - Denver Broncos

19: Baker Mayfield - Los Angeles Chargers

Now there is some silver lining for Allen. He played for Craig Bohl at Wyoming, the same coach who helped develop current Eagles quarterback and potential MVP candidate Carson Wentz. The offense he runs is one of the more “pro-style” offenses you will see in college, so he would at least have some experience there. The learning curve wouldn’t be nearly as steep as it was for Paxton Lynch who was in a very simple college offense at Memphis.

It’s a very safe bet that John Elway will be a fan of Allen’s but I highly doubt he would take the Wyoming signal caller at 5. It’s very early in the process, but this is one name to watch and one who likely be connected to the Broncos a lot this offseason.

Pass.

This is a "John Elway likes beating his head against a rock in the theory that if he beats it hard enough for long enough the rock will eventually break." It didn't work with Brock Osweiler, and it didn't work with Paxton, but third time's the charm "Big tall QB who is a long term project." Frankly, I'd far rather that if they can't get an elite prospect who should be pro-ready year one, they take a LT in the first round and draft a QB in the second. At least then next season their OL should be improved.

Allen reminds me nothing of Lynch or Osweiler. Allen is a playmaker.

F off, mcshay!

Originally Posted by Al Wilson 4 Mayor

Allen reminds me nothing of Lynch or Osweiler. Allen is a playmaker.

I assume Paxton made plays at Memphis too. I didn't watch him so I have no personal opinion.

Originally Posted by dogfish

F off, mcshay!

Is this a general dislike of Todd McShay or is there some method to your madness?

I like the mock where we went ahead and took the top OT on the board...

Originally Posted by Cugel

I assume Paxton made plays at Memphis too. I didn't watch him so I have no personal opinion.

Not really, he was more of a game manager. Most of his throws were short. He did throw deep occasionally, but not very often. His highlight reel isn’t overly impressive. You could say the same thing about Brock.

Of all the QBs, I’d be least happy with Allen. We don’t need another giraffe 3.0.

Allen, Mayfield, Rosen, Darnold, Jackson, Rudolph, Browning, Thorson...they all seem like plausible candidates for a solid QBF. None are ready to lead to playoffs in 2018 except maybe Rosen. Take the one that likes to grind, loves the game, has the most to prove, has adequate skill. Good to excellent skill is even better.

Just...take one of them dammit.

I don't see the hype with this guy. Another tall, big armed "project" that might pay off in 2-3 years. No thanks.

Albright is saying that the media is a lot higher on this guy than front office people he spoke to - I wonder if that plays out on draft night. I'm assuming he will impress at the combine and make some team bite early. Hopefully not us.

The Browns have to trade the 1st pick. They already have 3 1st rounders, including the 1st pick, from last year still on their roster. They also have a 2nd round QB from last year, and the 7th pick of this year's, which is going to add up to an enormous salary cap hit on 5 very young and inexperienced players. Do they want to add the cap hit that comes from having a 5th 1st rounder/a 2nd, 2nd pick/2nd QB in last 2 drafts. Once they trade the pick, you can put this entire mock draft in the cyber-paper shredder.

Originally Posted by VonDoom

I don't see the hype with this guy. Another tall, big armed "project" that might pay off in 2-3 years. No thanks.

Albright is saying that the media is a lot higher on this guy than front office people he spoke to - I wonder if that plays out on draft night. I'm assuming he will impress at the combine and make some team bite early. Hopefully not us.

I despise excuses for quarterbacks, and some of this might sound like excuses, but...

I felt like he was a playmaker in 2016, and he lost a drafted running back and a drafted center on a Mountain West offense, which is a big loss for a Group of Five team. He also lost his top three receiving targets including a 72-catch, 1,300-yard, 14 TD receiver (which is quite the year in the pros, let alone at a Group of 5 school, he's UDFA with the Bears, made the roster; And a tight end who was UDFA, playing with the Patriots, active roster).

Baker Mayfield has four- and five-star talent backing up his starters. A guy like Allen just doesn't get that at Wyoming. I think he's much less of a project than Lynch or Osweiler. During the CSU-Wyoming game this season, the announcers talked specifically about how he changed his film study to help him at the next level, and he's running the same system with the same coaches that Carson Wentz had at North Dakota State.

He had a bad year, there's no doubt about that, but I think the playmaking ability that I saw in the games I watched him play in 2016 is worth the high pick. And his arm is going to pop at his pro day. I think he'll do well in interviews. I don't think he's like Osweiler and Lynch, who were quarterbacks who popped in workouts and displayed some athleticism, but they were in offenses where the coaches were calling audibles and the system was shotgun-oriented. Allen has all those tools and played in an offense where his coaches are asking him to make more reads and play under center and do the things that you like to see out of future pros.

If the Broncos want a first-round quarterback, and can't get Darnold, I think Allen is the pick. I do not want Mayfield. He's a hot head and a blowhard who I don't see being a leader. I don't care about the rah-rah, run down the field, jaw at the lowly Jayhawks stuff. I'd rather see a more cerebral personality at the position.

Originally Posted by MOtorboat

I despise excuses for quarterbacks, and some of this might sound like excuses, but...

I felt like he was a playmaker in 2016, and he lost a drafted running back and a drafted center on a Mountain West offense, which is a big loss for a Group of Five team. He also lost his top three receiving targets including a 72-catch, 1,300-yard, 14 TD receiver (which is quite the year in the pros, let alone at a Group of 5 school, he's UDFA with the Bears, made the roster; And a tight end who was UDFA, playing with the Patriots, active roster).

Baker Mayfield has four- and five-star talent backing up his starters. A guy like Allen just doesn't get that at Wyoming. I think he's much less of a project than Lynch or Osweiler. During the CSU-Wyoming game this season, the announcers talked specifically about how he changed his film study to help him at the next level, and he's running the same system with the same coaches that Carson Wentz had at North Dakota State.

He had a bad year, there's no doubt about that, but I think the playmaking ability that I saw in the games I watched him play in 2016 is worth the high pick. And his arm is going to pop at his pro day. I think he'll do well in interviews. I don't think he's like Osweiler and Lynch, who were quarterbacks who popped in workouts and displayed some athleticism, but they were in offenses where the coaches were calling audibles and the system was shotgun-oriented. Allen has all those tools and played in an offense where his coaches are asking him to make more reads and play under center and do the things that you like to see out of future pros.

If the Broncos want a first-round quarterback, and can't get Darnold, I think Allen is the pick. I do not want Mayfield. He's a hot head and a blowhard who I don't see being a leader. I don't care about the rah-rah, run down the field, jaw at the lowly Jayhawks stuff. I'd rather see a more cerebral personality at the position.

Allen is also legit hard to bring down, causes dismay like Roethlisberger, you can't coach that athleticism.

Originally Posted by Hawgdriver

Allen is also legit hard to bring down, causes dismay like Roethlisberger, you can't coach that athleticism.

He ran for 500 yards in 2016. Just 200 this year. I can't speak to why there's a big difference, but he is a pocket quarterback with athleticism, not just an athlete. I'm not 100 percent sold on him, but I do like him much better than Mayfield. I'm not much of a fan of Rosen, either.

Originally Posted by MOtorboat

If the Broncos want a first-round quarterback, and can't get Darnold

Rosen?