"I'm not a big fan of rookies": When LeSean McCoy gave brutally honest take on Bills drafting Josh Allen
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen has always been considered a late-bloomer, slowly maturing into his potential in the NFL. After leading his side to two AFC Championship Games in the last six seasons, he recently won his first career NFL MVP award.
However, things weren't as great for the future star when he listed himself for the draft.
During an interview with the media in June 2018, former Buffalo Bills running back LeSean McCoy expressed his opinion over the recruit, quarterback Josh Allen. He said:
“I gotta be honest, he's uh, he's pretty good, and I'm not a big fan of rookies. Probably my best rookie out there I liked in my career has probably been (Tre'Davious White). Tre's really good... And quarterback is on that level.”
Tre’Davious White was selected as a cornerback by the Bills in the first round in the 2017 NFL Draft. He was impressive in his rookie season, starting in all 16 games, resulting in 16 tackles, four interceptions, one forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries. Hence, McCoy was impressed by White’s performance.
Similarly, McCoy was also impressed by the Bills’ first-round pick in the 2018 NFL draft. McCoy praised Josh Allen and said:
“He's good, he's smart. He has to learn. Of course, he throws some passes that probably shouldn't have been thrown. But other than that, his strong arm, he's very intelligent. He's too smart.”
Allen had a decent outing in the NFL Combine, where he finished with an athleticism score of 81, ranked second among quarterbacks. He received an overall score of 77 and was ranked fourth among all quarterbacks. However, Allen’s biggest strength was his elite arm strength, which was also showcased during his NFL Combine appearance.
LeSean McCoy suggests late-bloomer Josh Allen to take time
Although Josh Allen was impressive, he too had some concerns over his future. He had a prospect grade of 6.40 with the note, "will become good starter within two years." McCoy had a similar viewpoint on Allen’s future in the NFL.
“I tell him sometimes we have conversations, 'Hey, man, easy. This is not like an exam.' but as a talent level now, he's gonna be really good for a lot of years, and I want to be a part of that when he takes over eventually. I mean, took him early in the draft, so that's his common sense, but he's special, that's for sure.”
McCoy’s assessment of Allen was on point as the Bills finished third in AFC East division in Allen's rookie season followed by a second-place finish in the 2019 season. However, they have finished first in every season since then.