Wyoming QB Josh Allen, once set on entering the 2017 NFL Draft, had a change of heart before the deadline to file for early draft eligibility in January. He was so sure his final decision was the right one that he passed on the chance for feedback from an NFL general manager. He had already spoken with one GM, but was uneasy about making the jump to the NFL even before that conversation. So uneasy that a second round of GM feedback wasn't needed.
"I called (Wyoming) coach (Craig) Bohl back and he said, 'Here, I'm going to get you another GM.' And I said, 'Coach, that's not necessary, I'm going to come back to school and play another year for you,'" Allen told The Denver Post in a video posted on Friday.
Feedback from an NFL general manager would figure to be welcome regardless of the circumstances, but according to a Bleacher Report feature published in May, the seeds for Allen's change of heart were already planted through conversations with Philadelphia Eagles QB Carson Wentz, and private quarterback coach George Whitfield. Indeed, Allen's remarks to The Post suggested that even his discussion with the first GM didn't exactly stick with him.
"My head coach called me and he said, 'Here, I'm going to have you speak to an NFL GM.' The NFL GM called me and said, blah, blah, blah, and this and that," Allen said.
Allen's conviction led him back to the Cowboys for his second season as a starter; his first vaulted him into the conversation as one of the top prospects in the college game. His skill set offers some similarities to that of Baltimore Ravens QB Joe Flacco, according to NFL.com analyst Daniel Jeremiah. He also plays in a system that's closer to a pro-style offense than typical college spread attacks, a factor which should eventually help his draft cause.
For now, however, Allen happy to suit up for Wyoming once again.
Follow Chase Goodbread on Twitter *@ChaseGoodbread*.