Jaguars Draft Profile: Jonathan Allen

2/3/2017

Jonathan Allen is widely viewed as the second best defensive lineman in the draft. If available should the Jaguars consider him at four?

By Jordan de Lugo

Overview: Jonathan Allen is one of the most highly touted defensive players in the draft in 2017. Most believe he will be the second defensive lineman taken, following only Myles Garrett. In college at Alabama he played both on the edge as a defensive end and on the interior as a defensive tackle. He is on the more productive pass rushers in the storied history of Alabama football and is poised to be a top five pick in the NFL Draft in April. At 6'3'' and 265 lbs. Allen is projected by most as a tweener between tackle and end in the NFL.

Pros: While some may view it as a negative that Allen doesn't have an established position I view it as a positive. I think he is best suited to play end in the NFL, but could easily move around the on the line to cause confusion for the offensive line. He regularly shows dominant hand use and positioning which allows him to disengage from tackles and guards alike. He shows agility and quick feet on both the edge and interior. His combination of agility and hand use should allow him to make an easy transition to the NFL. Allen is always around the ball and plays with maximum effort on every play. He rarely misses a tackle and shows great situational awareness.

Cons: His height isn't ideal for a top end edge rusher and his combination of size and strength is far from prototypical for an interior defensive lineman. His length, or lack there of, could cause him to get caught up on some of the massive offensive tackles in the NFL. And being only 290 lbs. he may struggle with the physicality of some of the better guards and centers in the NFL. He doesn't show elite or even above average lateral quickness, so if he gets out of position on the edge he likely won't be able to chase down a running back.

Buy or Sell: BUY - Allen is one of the more exciting players in the draft in my estimation. I believe his leadership, high motor, and strong work ethic will allow him to overcome some of his physical limitations on the edge. Again, I think if the Jaguars draft him he should be primarily and edge (defensive end) with the ability to shift inside in certain situations. His elite hand use and short area quickness will allow him to wreak havoc in the right system. Working with players like Malik Jackson, Yannick Ngakoue and the rest of the Jaguars talented defensive line would be a major benefit for Allen. It's very possible that Allen is off the board by the time the Jaguars make their selection at four, but if he is still available when the Jaguars pick then he will certainly garner some consideration. If the Jaguars do decide to take Allen fans should be thrilled about adding one of the most versatile and dominant defensive players in the draft to an already strong defense. He seems about as NFL ready as you can get and has the potential to be a game changer and Pro Bowler on the edge. Tom Coughlin has said the Jaguars will focus on the line of scrimmage, so this would be far from a surprising pick.

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