Josh Allen has been doubted all his life.
Pushed towards remedial classes because of a stutter as a child. Picked on as "the new kid" when he moved to Alabama to seek a better, educational opportunity.
Doubted by college coaches despite ranking first in the state of New Jersey in sacks his senior year, and leading his team to its third-straight State Championship.
"I argued with them all: he's gonna get Drafted in the first round and you're gonna all look foolish -- and that day came last night." recounts his former high school coach, John Fiore. Fiore, who has been the head coach at Montclair High School (N.J.) the last nine years, was one of Allen's 12 honored guests at the 2019 NFL Draft.
"I was all over Rutgers -- I told them countless number of times to where I beat my hands on the desk telling their whole defensive staff that it's kids like this that get you fired. Not the five star you don't get from Penn State."
Despite Fiore and the Montclair football program's resume and pedigree, it fell on deaf ears. Allen had two offers -- only one a scholarship, at nearby FCS school, Monmouth University.
And then came Kentucky.
"[The football staff] said coming in that this guy was a dark horse. He was gonna be a star down the road. Some people kinda chuckled at it because he had one scholarship offer from Monmouth and was this twig," LEX 18 Sports Reporter (Lexington, K.Y.) Charlie Walter explains. "But he had all the characteristics of being an incredible football player."
As Walter saw first-hand in Lexington over the last 18 months, Allen transformed from a mid-round prospect to a no-doubt, Top 10 pick.
Allen's Wildcat family also saw him transform in a different way: through the birth of his son, Wesley.
"I've coached so many young men that have gotten girls pregnant and have not taken the responsibility," Fiore said. "And the fact that he has stepped up and he's been with his wife (Kaitlyn) since his freshman year, and they're doing right by themselves and by Wesley.
"You can see it already: [at the Draft] Josh going 'I hope we come back here one day for Wesley.'"
Doubted from the beginning, Josh Allen bet on himself.
So if you're wondering how this gamble will pay off for the Jags, his former coach says it's a no-brainer.
"I predicted he was gonna be a first round pick, and I'm gonna predict he's gonna be a Pro-Bowl'er and an All-Pro one day."