Josh Allen comes home one last time before NFL draft

Josh Allen may very well be the No. 1 pick in next week’s NFL Draft.

But before he heads to AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, to wait in the wings for his name to be called, Allen had a couple stages to grace Thursday here in the Valley.

The tall quarterback with the rocket arm who has captured the attention of NFL general managers returned to his roots, Firebaugh High and Reedley College.

Allen was largely ignored coming out of Firebaugh, so he went to Reedley where he played a season before catching the eye of Wyoming coaches. He blossomed in two seasons playing for the Cowboys and now stands ready to start his pro career.

“Now that it’s here, I’m enjoying the process and my family is enjoying it,” he said Thursday. “Now it’s wait to see where I’m going to play and give that franchise everything I have.”

At Firebaugh High, Allen spoke in a packed gymnasium as students cheered for one of their own who is a budding national star.

Former Eagles football coach Bill Magnusson and boys basketball coach Jim McCall welcomed Allen and wished him the best moving forward.

The Allen family will spend the weekend in Firebaugh and play golf on Sunday before departing for Texas on Tuesday.

Allen will find out which NFL team he’s headed to when the NFL Draft starts April 26 at 5 p.m. PDT. ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. projects Allen to be the top overall pick by the Cleveland Browns.

Of course, there’s nothing for sure about the draft. Allen has visited seven teams in the past 10 days.

It’s part of a whirlwind April that also saw him make an appearance at, of all places, the Masters golf tournament where he met with Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, the 2016 NFL MVP. Allen said he and Ryan talked about football and life.

“I’ve always thought the NFL could happen,” Allen said Thursday morning at Reedley College. “It’s the only thing I’ve ever wanted to happen.

“Getting the opportunity to play here at Reedley was a blessing for me. It’s the first time I’ve been back since I played here. It’s really cool to be out here and see the support.”

Allen was at Reedley in 2014, getting his first start in Week 5 against Fresno City College. He played 10 games for the Tigers and completed 127 of 259 for 2,055 yards and 26 touchdowns against five interceptions. Allen also had 120 carries for 660 yards and 10 touchdowns in his lone season at Reedley.

Thursday morning, he did a Q&A with Reedley College student-athletes. “I get to come back and share an experience with them,” Allen said. “Hopefully ... they take that and use it for their own good.”

This story was originally published April 19, 2018 at 3:49 PM with the headline "Josh Allen comes home one last time before NFL draft."