LARAMIE – Wyoming's no-star recruit is the NFL's most valuable player.
 
Josh Allen's remarkable ascent – from humble beginnings in Firebaugh, Calif., to overlooked Reedley College prospect to the meteoric rise with Cowboys and being the No. 7 pick overall in the 2018 draft – reached new heights Thursday night when the Buffalo Bills' superstar became the first Mountain West player to earn NFL MVP honors.
 
The news of the legendary former UW quarterback beating out Baltimore Ravens rival Lamar Jackson filled the halls of the High Altitude Performance Center – where there are images of Allen on the walls throughout the facility – with a sense of pride as the 2025 Pokes continued winter workouts on Friday.
 
"It's awesome," current Cowboy quarterback Kaden Anderson said during his weightlifting session. "Some big shoes to fill but I think it's possible. I'm really happy for him and for this university. I hope I can follow in his footsteps; I'm going to try to follow in his footsteps, but ultimately, I'm just happy for him. It's a great honor."
 
During his spectacular career in Laramie, Allen accounted for 5,833 yards of total offense, including 5,066 passing yards and 767 rushing yards. He was responsible for 57 touchdowns (44 passing, 12 rushing, one receiving) while leading the Cowboys to 16 wins in 25 starts and an appearance in the 2016 MW championship game.
 
Former UW head coach Craig Bohl knew Allen was special from the moment he stepped on campus in 2015.
 
But nobody could have predicted Allen would set NFL records for the most wins (76), total touchdowns (262) and total yards (30,595) by any player all-time in their first seven seasons.
 
"Josh Allen possessed the ultimate trifecta of an athlete. He was a supreme team player, had an unrivaled drive for competition, and a dominant talent for the game," Bohl said. "I will be forever grateful for our time at Wyoming. Go Pokes! Go Bills!"
 
Allen is so popular in Buffalo that some members of the fan base, known affectionately as "Bills mafia," carve out one UW game a year to attend in Laramie. Many Wyoming residents have also switched their NFL allegiances to Allen's team.
 
"Josh Allen and his long-term success and his pride in playing at Wyoming is great publicity for our university and our state every time he plays," UW head coach Jay Sawvel said. "Seeing Bills mafia members come to games at Wyoming just because Josh Allen played here is so unique."
 
This past season, Allen finished with 28 touchdown passes, 12 rushing touchdowns and six interceptions while leading the Bills to the AFC Championship game. He became the first player in NFL history to record at least 25 touchdown passes, 10 touchdown runs and fewer than 10 interceptions in a season.
 
"I'm thrilled for Josh, what an accomplishment. It shines great light on the University of Wyoming and Cowboy football," UW athletics director Tom Burman said. "I'm equally as happy for Josh's family, his parents, his siblings. They have an amazing family bond, and I've enjoyed the opportunity to get to know the family over the years and I just know how much pride they take in Josh's on field accomplishments and how he handles himself off the field and how he carries the family name."
 
UW Athletic Hall of Fame member Kevin McKinney, who has witnessed nearly six decades of Cowboy football up close and personal, has never witnessed anyone ride for the brand like No. 17.
 
"It's surreal because you see these MVPs and all of them are from primarily big schools. Suddenly you see Josh grow into one," McKinney said. "He was such a great competitor that you knew he would improve every year and make himself better. He vowed to do that, and he pretty much always accomplished whatever he set out to do. And now he's an MVP of the NFL.
 
"With all those players from all those big schools, the MVP is representing the University of Wyoming. It's very emotional for me."
 
Bohl established UW as a "developmental program" during his decade in Laramie. Logan Wilson (Cincinnati Bengals), Andrew Wingard (Jacksonville Jaguars) and Frank Crum (Denver Broncos) were among the lightly recruited prospects currently in the NFL.
 
Allen is the poster boy for what is possible.
 
"It's just an amazing an amazing transformation for somebody like him to be so little regarded, even when he was drafted, I don't think people believed he would be a major factor in the NFL," McKinney said. "You have to hand it to him. He is something else. We'll never probably see anything like this again."
 
If you are interested in learning more about NIL (Name, Image and Likeness) or would like to support our student-athletes, please visit 1wyo.org. 1WYO was created out of Wyoming's culture of neighbor helping neighbor. The mission is to promote and strengthen local charitable organizations and develop Wyoming student athletes. 
 
Follow Ryan for more stories on Wyoming athletics on X at @By_RyanThorburn on Facebook at Wyoming Athletics and Instagram at wyoathletics. Also follow him at Pokes Insider at Gowyo.com/pokesinsider.