Which Teams Passed Over Josh Allen & Why: 2018 NFL Draft

Josh Allen just had a historic season that nearly earned him MVP honours—but before that, many believed he’d be a bust.

Josh Allen was a parody of the big-armed quarterback who couldn’t touch the water if he fell out of a boat when he entered the 2018 NFL draft. This was partly because of his collegiate statistics: According to a numberFire analysis, Allen finished last among quarterbacks eligible for the draft in every statistical category in 2018 while playing three seasons at the University of Wyoming, completing just 56% of his passes overall. Allen became a joke, but it wasn’t just the numbers; it was the way he was missing.

Allen, who will remain in Orchard Park for many years, was a chance taken by Buffalo that paid off handsomely. The passer had an outstanding year in 2021 after being in second place for MVP in 2020.

Present Day Allen’s Excellence

Three years later, a few changes have been made. Last season, Allen and the Bills came within one win of the Super Bowl, and Allen came in second place behind Aaron Rodgers in the NFL MVP voting. The Buffalo quarterback also made NFL records by finishing a season with 4,500 passing yards, 35 passing touchdowns, and five rushing touchdowns.

Allen’s development in judgment and precision led directly to this new level of play. Allen had the lowest completion percentage in 2018 and 2019, but in 2020, he advanced to fourth place. The biggest two-year improvement in the NFL’s history came from his passing efficiency, which increased from 53 per cent in 2018 to 69 per cent in 2019.

Few people believed Allen would make such a leap, much less that it was possible.
And then last year occurred. Allen’s season challenged everything we believed to be true about the progression of quarterbacks in the NFL. Has Josh Allen’s ascent altered how teams view quarterbacks as we move closer to a draft that could see more passers selected in the top 10 than ever before?

Teams Who Passed Over Josh Allen

Cleveland Browns – QB Baker Mayfield

New York Giants- RB Saquon Barkley

New York Jets- QB Sam Darnold

Denver Broncos- DE Bradley Chubb

Indianapolis Colts – Quenton Nelson

Here’s how the first round shook out in its entirety (bolded are first-round QBs):

Pick No. Team Player Position School
1 Browns Baker Mayfield QB Oklahoma
2 Giants Saquon Barkley RB Penn State
3 Jets Sam Darnold QB USC
4 Browns Denzel Ward CB Ohio State
5 Broncos Bradley Chubb DE N.C. State
6 Colts Quenton Nelson G Notre Dame
7 Bills Josh Allen QB Wyoming
8 Bears Roquan Smith LB Georgia
9 49ers Mike McGlinchey OT Notre Dame
10 Cardinals Josh Rosen QB UCLA
11 Dolphins Minkah Fitzpatrick DB Alabama
12 Buccaneers Vita Vea DT Washington
13 Redskins Da’Ron Payne DL Alabama
14 Saints Marcus Davenport DE UTSA
15 Raiders Kolton Miller OT UCLA
16 Bills Tremaine Edmunds LB Virginia Tech
17 Chargers Derwin James S Florida State
18 Packers Jaire Alexander CB Louisville
19 Cowboys Leighton Vander Esch LB Boise State
20 Lions Frank Ragnow C/G Arkansas
21 Bengals Billy Price C Ohio State
22 Titans Rashaan Evans LB Alabama
23 Patriots Isaiah Wynn OL Georgia
24 Panthers D.J. Moore WR Maryland
25 Ravens Hayden Hurst TE South Carolina
26 Falcons Calvin Ridley WR Alabama
27 Seahawks Rashaad Penny RB San Diego State
28 Steelers Terrell Edmunds S Virginia Tech
29 Jaguars Taven Bryan DT Florida
30 Vikings Mike Hughes CB UCF
31 Patriots Sony Michel RB Georgia
32 Ravens Lamar Jackson QB Louisville

 

FOR MORE NFL UPDATES-

Early Predictions: Playoff Contenders NFL 2022

Matt Ryan To be Benched, Coach Reich be Fired by Colts?