New York Giants head coach Pat Shurmur speaks on quarterback Josh Allen, who he passed on during the 2018 NFL Draft.
Prior to the 2018 NFL Draft, the New York Giants had a big decision to make. Do they go with a new quarterback with their No. 2 overall pick? Do they try to improve the offensive line? What about the generationally-talented Penn State running back Saquon Barkley?
Head coach Pat Shurmur and general manager Dave Gettleman ultimately went with the last of those choices for their first pick.
Big Blue passed on the quarterback-stacked class in the first round and waited to select a quarterback until the fourth round (Kyle Lauletta). This week, Shurmur and the Giants will face one of those quarterbacks they passed on. The Buffalo Bills and second-year man Josh Allen will come into town to face off against Big Blue on Sunday.
“I would never comment on how in the mix anybody was,” Shurmur said this week, per Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. “I think that’s behind-the-scenes. That doesn’t do anybody any good. But I can comment on what we thought of [Allen]. We thought he was a big, strong thrower. A guy that had a chance to be a starter in the NFL, and he has been for them. I think he’s made steady improvements. He’s a very strong-armed guy. He’s helped them win some big games already. Just like any young player, you see where he’ll make mistakes and then correct them.”
Shurmur added that he thought the former University of Wyoming standout “had a chance to be a starter” in this league.
Allen has proved to be one of the better rushing quarterbacks in this league, rushing for 631 yards and eight touchdowns during his rookie campaign. However, he’ll need to improve when it comes to throwing the ball if he wants long-term success in the NFL. Through 12 games last year, Allen completed 52.8% of his throws for 2,074 yards, 10 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.
The Giants and Bills will kick off at 1:00 p.m. ET this Sunday at MetLife Stadium.
