Mayock: Josh Allen is the pick if Cardinals move up on draft day

Despite signing quarterbacks Sam Bradford and Mike Glennon, speculation of the Arizona Cardinals trading up in the 2018 NFL Draft to take a quarterback remains intact.

According to Mike Mayock of NFL.com, the Cardinals should draft Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen if they are successful in landing a higher pick.

“I look at what the Cardinals are used to with the big arm of a Carson Palmer. I look at Josh Allen with an ability, perhaps, to sit behind a quarterback, which is critical for at least year. I think with Sam Bradford, you’ve got a guy that’s been a professional and I think Josh needs to learn how to be a professional,” Mayock told Doug & Wolf on 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station. “If I was Arizona and had an opportunity to go get a kid at five or six, that’d be my guy.”

In two seasons at Wyoming, Allen compiled a 16-9 record and threw for 44 touchdowns against 21 interceptions.

At 6-foot-5 and 237 pounds, he’s got the size of a prototypical NFL quarterback but his completion percentage (56.2) and turnovers (21 interceptions and eight fumbles lost in 25 games) are both less than desirable numbers.

In addition to Allen, Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield’s name has also been linked to the Cardinals. ESPN’s Todd McShay mentioned that the organization has interest in both players.

Quarterback-heavy first round?

Arizona is one of many teams in the market for a quarterback and with signal-callers in high demand, Mayock believes quite a few will be chosen on Thursday night.

“I think five [quarterbacks] will go,” Mayock told Doug & Wolf.

Without speculating too much, Mayock’s prediction likely includes Allen, Mayfield, Sam Darnold (USC), Josh Rosen (UCLA) and Lamar Jackson (Louisville). To some, Mayock’s wild-card of the group might come as a surprise.

“Of the five, I’m most intrigued by Lamar Jackson. I think somebody is going to commit to this kid both philosophically and schematically because if you draft him, you have to have a plan,” Mayock told Doug & Wolf. “I use [Houston Texans head coach] Bill O’Brien as the example with Deshaun Watson last year … O’Brien changed everything to accommodate this kid. I think somebody’s going to do it for Lamar Jackson.”

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