Where Did Josh Allen Go To College?
Josh Allen was born on May 21, 1996 in Firebaugh, California. Firebaugh is a small town about 40 miles west of Fresno with a population of about 7,500 people.
What High School Did Josh Allen Attend?
Allen attended Firebaugh High School in his hometown. He played football, basketball and baseball for the Firebaugh Eagles throughout his high school career.
Football Career
As the Eagles quarterback, Allen stood out right away. He threw for 3,449 yards and ran for 1,063 yards while accounting for 41 touchdowns in his sophomore and junior seasons combined.
Unfortunately, Allen broke his collarbone early on as a senior which limited him to only three games. However, he still managed to throw for over 1,000 yards in those three games.
Basketball & Baseball
Allen also excelled at basketball and baseball for Firebaugh High. He earned All-League honors in both sports. Some even expected Josh might pursue baseball over football in college since he showed great potential as a shortstop.
What College Did Josh Allen Attend?
Despite his high school success, Allen did not obtain any FBS scholarship offers coming out of high school likely due to playing in a small town. He opted to stick with football and enrolled at Reedley College about 30 miles from his hometown.
Two Seasons at Reedley College
Allen spent two seasons playing as the quarterback for the Reedley Tigers. He put up impressive numbers, recording over 5,000 passing yards with 47 touchdowns while adding 11 rushing touchdowns.
As a sophomore, Allen led Reedley College to a division championship. His strong performances caught the attention of bigger colleges.
Transferring to the University of Wyoming
After receiving offers from multiple FBS programs, Allen decided to accept a scholarship to continue his college football career with the Wyoming Cowboys.
Allen chose Wyoming in part because their offense was well-suited to his playing style. Their coaches were also very impressed with his arm talent.
How Did Josh Allen Perform at Wyoming?
Over three seasons at Wyoming, Josh Allen went on to have a standout career setting multiple school records against tough Mountain West competition.
Freshman Season
As a redshirt freshman, Allen took over the starting quarterback role in the third game of the 2015 season. He showed promise throwing for over 1,200 yards while leading the Cowboys to a 2-2 record in the four games he played in.
Breakout Sophomore Year
Staying healthy in 2016, Allen delivered a breakout sophomore campaign passing for over 3,200 yards with 28 touchdowns and 15 interceptions.
He led Wyoming to an 8-6 finish as well as their first bowl game since 2011 while being named 2nd team All-Mountain West. NFL scouts started taking notice of his outstanding physical talent.
Injury-Plagued Junior Season
Allen battled injuries as a junior in 2017 but still managed to produce 2,012 yards passing and 16 total touchdowns in 11 games played.
While his completion percentage dropped to just 56%, his NFL Draft stock remained high based on his prototypical size, arm strength and athleticism.
Josh Allen’s College Football Stats
Here is a table summarizing Josh Allen’s complete college football stats across his two seasons at Reedley College and three years playing for Wyoming:
| Season | College | Passing Yards | Passing TDs | Interceptions | Comp. % | Rushing Yards | Rushing TDs |
| 2013 | Reedley College | 2,074 | 25 | 8 | 61.9% | 375 | 6 |
| 2014 | Reedley College | 2,956 | 22 | 9 | 63.5% | 503 | 5 |
| 2015 | Wyoming | 1,311 | 12 | 3 | 63.7% | 508 | 7 |
| 2016 | Wyoming | 3,203 | 28 | 15 | 56.0% | 512 | 7 |
| 2017 | Wyoming | 1,812 | 16 | 6 | 56.3% | 204 | 5 |
Was Josh Allen Drafted into the NFL?
Yes, Allen went on to become a 1st round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft after his junior year at Wyoming. His physical abilities were too appealing for teams to pass up despite accuracy questions.
Drafted 7th Overall by the Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills traded up five spots to select Allen with the 7th overall pick in 2018. The Bills were willing to bet big on his upside to develop into a franchise quarterback.
Early NFL Career Summary
In his five NFL seasons so far, Allen has emerged as one of the top young quarterbacks in the league. He has led the Bills to four playoff appearances while earning a Second Team All-Pro selection in 2020.
As of 2022, Allen has passed for over 15,000 yards with 121 touchdowns while also adding over 3,000 rushing yards and 31 rushing scores in his career. He signed a 6-year, $258 million contract to remain Buffalo’s quarterback of the present and future.
Conclusion
In summary, Josh Allen took an unlikely path to becoming an elite NFL quarterback. He started at small-town Firebaugh High School in California where he excelled as a three-sport athlete.
Without any FBS offers, Allen attended Reedley College putting up big numbers for two junior college seasons. He then transferred to Wyoming where his prototypical size and arm talent shined against Mountain West competition.
Despite subpar completion rates in college, the Buffalo Bills traded up to draft Allen 7th overall in 2018 banking on his upside. This gamble has paid off handsomely with Allen developing into an All-Pro caliber quarterback as the face of the Bills franchise. He signed a record-setting $258 million extension to remain in Buffalo for the long haul.
While questions about Allen’s accuracy and small-school background caused him to slide a bit in the draft, he has gone on to outperform quarterbacks taken ahead of him. His first five NFL seasons already place him among the top young QBs in the game today. Expect Allen’s rise to stardom to continue leading the Bills for years to come.
FAQ: Josh Allen College Background
Where is Josh Allen originally from?
Josh Allen was born and raised in Firebaugh, California which has a population under 8,000 residents. Located about 40 miles west of Fresno, it is a small agricultural town. Both of Josh’s parents worked on farms when he was growing up.
Did Josh Allen play any other sports besides football?
Yes, Allen was a three-sport athlete in high school competing in football, basketball and baseball for Firebaugh High School. He earned All-League honors in both basketball and baseball thanks to his athletic talents.
What other colleges offered Josh Allen scholarships besides Wyoming?
After two stellar seasons at Reedley Junior College, Allen received offers from multiple FBS programs including Oregon State, Utah State, Tulane and Western Kentucky. However, Wyoming’s staff and system made the biggest impression turning out to be the best fit.
How good was Josh Allen in college based on stats alone?
Looking just at the stats from his three seasons as Wyoming’s starting quarterback, Allen was productive throwing for over 7,300 yards while accounting for 73 total touchdowns. However, he completed just 57% of his passes highlighting accuracy issues that caused some concerns before the NFL Draft.
What pick was Josh Allen drafted?
Based on his intriguing physical profile and potential rather than college production, Josh Allen was selected by the Buffalo Bills with 7th overall pick in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft.
