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With the 2018 NFL Draft just weeks away there is plenty of information coming out on different topics.
One thing we have heard for months is that the Arizona Cardinals like Josh Allen, quite a bit:
Joel Klatt of Fox Sports: I hear that the Arizona Cardinals absolutely love Josh Allen.
— Johnny (@JohnnysFootball) March 28, 2018
Several teams interested in Josh Allen, and moving up for him.
— Benjamin Allbright (@AllbrightNFL) March 14, 2018
Count Arizona among them.
Whether this comes to fruition is really neither here nor there, we can cross that bridge when it comes, but one thing that has come about lately is not criticism of Allen’s on the field, play, but instead whether or not he can be successful mentally at the NFL level.
From the MMQB article:
When the ball is snapped it’s almost like, I don’t know what’s going on … It seems like he doesn’t have a plan and a process, and to get to the NFL level and to not be able to do the little things—if you can’t do the little things, you can’t do the big things. The little things are your plan and your process. The big things are executing against what happens. And so it just seems like he doesn’t have that as part of his DNA, as part of his quarterbacking.
This is something that many, myself included, may not catch when breaking down prospects. The mental aspect of the game, something that Allen has been lauded for early in the process, is now being called into question:
And that for me I go, Well, what does it matter how big he is, how athletic he is, if you could throw it to the moon, the field’s a hundred yards. To not be able to adjust or react to a Will linebacker blitzing is alarming to me. Alarming.
Allen’s physical talents have never been questioned, but to see this critique from Dan Orlovsky, it is enlightening.
Then of course, Peter King, author of the article had to get with his sources on this:
“I’d say it’s true,” the NFL person said. “If people see Carson Wentz when they look at Josh Allen because they’re both big guys, they are making a massive mistake. Wentz was so ready mentally for the pro game. Allen needs a lot of work there.
Now, if this actually means anything on draft day we will see, but the NFL media seems to believe that Allen is a stone cold lock for the top five.