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Ten 2018 NFL Draft prospects to keep an eye on

Dec 21, 2016; San Diego, CA, USA; Wyoming Cowboys quarterback Josh Allen (17) looks to pass during the third quarteragainst the Brigham Young Cougars at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Josh Allen, quarterback, Wyoming

“You can put it in this books, Josh Allen will be the No. 1 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.”

First off, let’s stop with the insanity right now. Allen has thrown 379 passes at the highest level college football has to offer. And one person within the NFL believes he’s already the No. 1 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.

Put the breaks on that for a second. Let’s actually watch Allen play as an upperclassman before drawing that conclusion.

Allen, a JUCO transfer from California, was stellar last season for Wyoming. He put up over 3,200 yards with 28 touchdowns. He also struggled against higher-end competition, throwing a combined eight interceptions against Nebraska, Boise State and BYU.

At this point, it’s all about projection. Experts project that Allen will take that next step as a junior in 2017. And in reality, there’s really no reason to believe he won’t.

Here’s a guy with a cannon arm who stands at 6-foot-5 and has displayed pinpoint accuracy at times on the field. It really is a sight to behold.

“He’s a big ol’ kid with a big arm, and he’s pretty athletic, too,” one AFC executive said late last year, via MMQB’s Albert Breer. “We gotta learn more about him, but the tools are there.”

The talent is there. The frame is there. The excitement is surely there. We now need to see Allen put it together for an entire season while displaying better decision-making tendencies. The good news for Allen is that his Cowboys open the season on the road against Iowa before taking on Oregon two weeks later.

This will give the young quarterback an opportunity to prove himself against better competition than what he will be going up against the Mountain West. It will also likely happen on a national stage. That’s big news for both Allen and those of us who are excited to watch him play on Saturdays this upcoming season.

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