I think some back tracking needs to be done here because there is a throw around of very subjective terms. Mostly when it comes to Cannon arm which has only been said by the likes of other forum posters and mild qualifiers. 

 

1. When analyzing any player you break his skills down several ways

    - Proficiency in natural ability

    - Proficiency in aquired skills

    - Physiological Assets (Heighht, Weight, Arm Length, Muscle Size)

    - Mechanical Flaws (Poor Technique, Sloppy movement,)

 

2. You compare those skills to a set of standards

    - Standard tests against other players of the same age/skills set

    - Standards of former players or former test results

    - Game Results/ Statistics and Analytical Metrics 

 

Now lets come back to this Cannon arm - Think about what qualifies just for yourself? When I see a Cannon Arm - It's a easy, naturally thrown ball with a tight spiral over a long distance. Allen does not posses this despite what bleacher report or a guy on a 49ers forum said when I was getting my keyboard set on fire two posts earlier. Again Cannon arm is subjective. Outback Steakhouse has passable steaks at affordable prices, are they the best steaks I've ever eaten? No, but if i'ts a drizzly Tuesday and I have a coupon you know where I'll be.  

 

I'm not denying that Allen didn't have a very successful career and he was successful on his intermediate throws. This is where your armchair scouts are getting it wrong and seeing something that isn't there. 2015 was a great year for Razorback football. Those are great things and he should be recognized in that way. In professional terms, of a starting franchise NFL thrower, he gets exposed. But by all counts if you think a 25-30 yard pass on broken coverage is a great deep ball, then please sign him up. 

 

Allen is much like a Javalin thrower, his deep throws come mostly from a running start or on roll outs with receivers coming back toward him. The shoulder comes back and he then slings it into his throw. Most of that motion is good and it works against UTEP and Auburn. He makes up for his small frame by putting so much into those throws and here is where the exposure begins. Now he's at the pro level. the best throwers have true cannons because they have long arms, big hands and actually need to take a little off their throws to bend and weave into windows. this is where Allen will struggle. Allen relies on predetermined decisions and scripts because of this hefty wind-up style to create deeper passes. Allen puts so much into his throw that he's not going to be able to improvise or think about his 2nd or 3rd reads. There's so much going into Allen's throws in compensation for weakness in the wrists and his small hands. 

 

Look at his interceptions in the preseason (yes, this it nit picky)

Week 1 @ NYJ: http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highl...highlights

 - Skip to 2:54 and you'll see that Allen cannot get the ball over the defense, the ball falls short because he can't get enough on it because he didn't go into his running javelin start. It's doesn't look super uncomfortable, it had a decent spiral but it's clearly a strength issue in a clutch situation. that's a simple 25 yard pass. A natural thrower overthrows or gives that ball more of an arc. So yeah it's an area to improve on and that is a catch-able ball in the SEC, not against 3rd stringers in the majors. 

Week 2: http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highl...n-Therezie

 - This is another strength issue, wobbly straight pass with little arc caused by weakness in the hands/wrists - he simply can't get the ball over the defense. A QB with a stronger arm burns this broken coverage. Most starting QB's in this league score a TD on this play. Allen just can't arc that ball over (Therezie robinson does make a great play here to his credit).

 

The pro sample size is small, however this is the kind of NFL exposure I'm referring to. Allen made it very far in college and now you see him in the pro-game and the flaws become highlighted on the bad throws. It's a harsh reality, and I'm not totally giving up on him or against any player pushing through his own flaws or struggles and battling his way to the top.

 

Compare Allen to Carson Wentz. Have you seen Wentz throw a ball? Holy wow can Wentz throw with some fire compared to Allen. Wentz doesn't have the resume that Allen does, nor the level training and conditioning. Wentz does naturally, what Allen will never be able to do. This makes Wentz a 1st round talent despite the amount of work he needs. So a QB coach would really work with those players completely different ways and with Allen, he's a bit more of a completed project. 

 

Can Allen develop? Sure, Brady changed his motion and improved arm strength- Rodgers did it - Russell Wilson and Drew Brees make it work with small frames. I believe most NFL players don't reach their arm strength potential until their late 20's. Allen can make deep throws at times, he doesn't have an overall weak arm, but realize that there is so much predetermination and compensation leading up to those throws. 

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