The 2018 NFL Draft saw five quarterbacks taken in the first round, four in the first 10 picks. Baker Mayfield and Sam Darnold were viewed as can't miss prospects. Josh Rosen and Lamar Jackson were valued but their worth at the next level was unknown. Josh Allen was the quarterback who did not excite many people.
The Buffalo Bills took a chance and drafted Allen with the No. 7 pick in the draft. Coming out of Wyoming, there were concerns since Allen did not play a high-quality schedule in college. He is in the midst of his second year in the NFL and he has played 22 games.
In Week 11, the Bills picked up their seventh win of the season when they defeated the Miami Dolphins 37-20. Allen finished with 256 passing yards and three touchdowns. He added a fourth touchdown using his legs. A 7-3 record to start the season parlayed with strong numbers will spark the question of how effective will Allen be in his NFL career?
What is Josh Allen's ceiling?
Over the last five weeks, Allen has taken his game to another level. He has thrown for eight touchdowns and no interceptions since Week 5. He was receiving criticism at the beginning of the season because of his slow start but he has really turned things around.
Allen does not have the breakaway speed of Jackson or Kyler Murray but he has been a capable runner throughout his short career. In 22 games,962 rushing yards, and 15 touchdowns. He is averaging 5.9 yards per carry. Allen is not a finished product throwing the ball but he has an extremely strong arm and is improving every week.
Quarterbacks are judged on one thing in this league — winning. Right now, Allen is 7-3 with the Bills and has a chance to get them back to the playoffs. Despite the record, he is not a game-changing quarterback just yet. Buffalo is playing with a strong defense and has a solid run game to go along with it. There is a lot of help for Allen. The Bills have scored 30 points just twice this season and they have three wins where they scored 21 or fewer points.
Allen is a quarterback who can take a team to the playoffs but a Super Bowl does not seem likely. He is not at the level of Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, or Russell Wilson in terms of skill. Can he ever win a championship? He will need a dominant defense similar to the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos teams of recent years and a great coach to lead them there. Allen is serviceable and has talent but he seems like a middle of the pack quarterback.
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