2017 NFL Draft: Is Jonathan Allen Still a Top-Tier Prospect?
Is defensive lineman Jonathan Allen still one of the top prospects in the 2017 NFL Draft?
Alabama defensive lineman Jonathan Allen has long been considered one of the best prospects in the 2017 NFL Draft class. Allen was arguably the best player in college football last season, consistently dominating for Alabama up front. He posted 22.5 sacks combined the last two years and was absolutely dominant against the run. Simply put, Allen was an elite college football player.
However, the draft process has not been too kind to Allen.
Allen had multiple shoulder surgeries while in college which has given him a mild case of arthritis in both shoulders. Alabama team doctor Lyle Cain says that the shoulder injuries are not an issue, but it is difficult to just ignore them.
It clearly did not hurt Allen on the field, but arthritis is not something that just gets better. It is undoubtedly a black mark on his draft stock.
During the season, many considered Allen to be a worthy choice for the Cleveland Browns with the first overall pick. It is hard to blame them after he has dominated college football the last two years. However, with the injury concern, number one is not longer an option. After his performance at the combine, Allen may no longer even be an option in the top five.
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Allen was less than stellar across the board at the combine. His 5.00 40-yard dash, 7.49 three-cone drill and 30-inch vertical leap all left plenty to be desired. Perhaps most concerning was Allen only putting up 21 bench press reps. That is a low number for a guy who appears to be so powerful on the field. Maybe the shoulder injuries had something to do with that number?
I don’t think anybody expected Allen to be overly explosive, but this kind of lack of athleticism is a bit concerning. On the field, Allen showed nice burst off of the snap but will he be a step too slow to make the same kind of impact at the next level? His combine numbers suggest that may be the case.
Allen was commonly connected to the Chicago Bears earlier in the draft process, but his name is coming up less and less for the team as we go along. I do not think that he will be on the Bears’ radar with the third overall pick with other defenders like Jamal Adams and Solomon Thomas bringing much more upside. However, how far will Allen drop?
Teams will undoubtedly be scared by his shoulders and ugly combine numbers, but his production on the field was absolutely incredible. If Allen falls too far, he could end up being a massive steal.
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You can’t ignore his production on the field in recent years. Allen was the best player on one of the best defenses in college football history. However, recent events have certainly knocked Allen down a peg. He is still a strong 2017 NFL draft prospect, but he is no longer in the elite ranks.