The NFL Draft is just a matter of hours away, and Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen could possibly be the first name called. However, Allen’s chances of going No. 1 overall may have taken a hit after some of his old tweets from high school which used racially insensitive and offensive language suddenly emerged.
Allen admitted to ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith that he did send those tweets and he has apologized for them. Those tweets, which saw Allen use the “N-word” on multiple occasions, have since been deleted from his account, per Yahoo! Sports.
This incident is reminiscent of the 2016 draft’s big controversy involving Laremy Tunsil. A video of Tunsil smoking a bong with a gas mask surfaced mere hours before the draft. Texts of Tunsil asking for money from a member of the Ole Miss staff were also revealed. As a result, Tunsil, who was considered one of the draft's top prospects, dropped all the way to the Dolphins at No. 13.
While Allen’s inappropriate use of racially offensive language should not be excused, it should be noted that they were posted when Allen was much younger and dumber, according to him.
Unfortunately, those could very well be used against him. While common sense would suggest that this incident shouldn’t bear much of an impact on his draft stock, there could still be some teams that will weigh those tweets into their decision-making. Allen is reportedly one of the Cleveland Browns' top two choices along with Baker Mayfield to go No. 1 overall.
It’s sad that Allen’s past could come back to haunt him during what could be the most important period of his entire life. It’s not a certainty, though, and he may still end up celebrating if he gets drafted early as expected later tonight.
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