2017 NFL Draft: Chicago Bears Should Stay Away From Jonathan Allen
Jonathan Allen is not a strong 2017 NFL Draft target for the Chicago Bears.
The 2017 NFL Draft is two weeks away. At that time, we will finally see who the Chicago Bears add to their mix with the third overall pick. Jamal Adams, Solomon Thomas and Marshon Lattimore have been commonly getting mocked to the Bears at number three. However, no player has been projected to go to Chicago more than Alabama defensive lineman Jonathan Allen.
Allen was one of the best defensive players in college football last season. He piled up 10.5 sacks and 16 tackles for loss for the Crimson Tide in 2016. As a junior in 2015, Allen had an impressive 12 sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss. He was an impact defensive lineman who can shine both against the run and in the pass rush. Allen was a college star who is a fair bet to have some success at the next level.
That being said, he should not be an option for the Chicago Bears with the third overall pick. Allen is great. He is a strong player who has a safe floor at the next level. But when picking as high as the Bears are, you want to take an impact player who has elite-level upside. Adding an elite pass rusher or franchise quarterback to the mix can immediately reshape the future of a franchise. Allen is a very good player, but he will never make that kind of impact.
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The Alabama product is listed as a defensive end. He would be a great fit for the Bears’ defense as he would be able to step in and play five-technique defensive end. However, he is not an impact pass rusher who can take over a game. His upside as a rusher is limited on the outside.
Allen can create some pressure from the interior, but he is too small to play inside on a consistent basis against the run. His skills were dominant in college, but I struggle to see him having the same impact at the next level.
Limited Athleticism
Allen was less than impressive at the combine. We knew that he would not put up huge numbers, but his lack of athleticism and explosiveness was pretty obvious. Look at his chart from MockDraftable:
That chart compares Allen athletically to defensive lineman since 1999. As you can see, he tests below average at best. His overall size, arm length and 20-yard shuttle are the only parts that put him over the 50 percentile and even those are barely over the mark.
His combine performance obviously does not mean that Allen is a bad football player. All you have to do is watch him for a short time and you know that is not true. That being said, these numbers probably do limit his upside.
Allen is not going to be a big-time pass rusher at the next level. Sure, he can compete against the run and will be able to create some pressure on the interior, but never mistake him for Aaron Donald.
Donald is an elite athlete as an interior pass rusher and it showed when he tested at the combine.
Now that is what an elite interior pass rusher’s chart looks like. Nothing against Allen. He is a good football player who will likely have a long and successful career in the NFL. That being said, he is never going to be a true impact player.
On top of that, Allen went through surgeries on both of his shoulders while at Alabama. There has even been talk of mild arthritis in his shoulder areas. Allen does not have much downside on the field. He is a rock-solid player who has always stepped up in big moments. However, these shoulder injuries clearly bring some downside to the table. Add in his limited upside athletically and I see no reason why Allen should be under consideration for the Bears in the 2017 NFL Draft.
Next: NFL Draft Targets for Bears at Each Position
The Bears need to swing big with their third overall selection. Selecting Allen would be settling for an easy single. Ryan Pace and company need to be swinging for the fences. Jonathan Allen is a first-round caliber player but he is simply not worthy of a top-five selection in the 2017 NFL Draft.