Alabama defensive lineman Jonathan Allen (93) looks to the sideline during an NCAA college football game against Southern California on Saturday, Sept. 3, 2016, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) ORG XMIT: OTKTG124 Jonathan Allen may be the best defensive end available this season.
Jonathan Allen is a senior defensive linemen playing for the Alabama Crimson Tide. A five-star recruit, Jonathan Allen saw action as a true freshman, but didn’t start until his true sophomore season where he started 12 games. Since then he has gone on to start 14 more games as a junior, and at the moment 12 games as a senior, heading on into the SEC Championship and playoffs for his 4th straight season. A very experienced player, Jon Allen has cemented himself as a star on a ridiculously talented Alabama front. Standing tall at 6’3″ 290 lbs Jon Allen plays for the most part 3-4 DE, while also shifting inside when Alabama uses a 4-man defensive line. He also plays outside a fair amount in a 4-3, so it’s not just inside.
Jonathan Allen has great outside leverage, holds the edge well and forces the running back inside, is very patient and understands his leverage. A smart football player who knows how to play his role on the defense, and is disciplined. One of his better attributes is understanding his role and containing the pocket, forcing the running back or quarterback inside. A selfless player, who doesn’t hunt for his personal stats, but instead thinks of the bigger picture making him very consistent in his mechanics and style of play. Is very well coached, and easily reads the difference between pass and run sets, and diagnoses plays quickly. If he can’t get to the quarterback he’ll bat the ball down, textbook. Has tremendous pad level, and keeps his head up at all times, using his eyes very effectively reading the quarterback. Not many prospects are better than Jonathan Allen at sniffing screens, diagnosing the screens quickly and shutting down teams screen games.
Jonathan Allen’s best asset are his hands. He has violent hands and fights throughout the play. With deadly hands, he has excellent hand placement and can stack and shed blocks with no problems. Even can stack blocks and make the tackle with one arm showcasing great strength. Fights well through double teams and has an elite motor. However, can get driven of the line, especially in the run game and needs to learn how to keep his hands cleaner. My main criticism of Jonathan Allen in the run game is when he can’t get in the first punch, and the offensive linemen lands his block, he struggles getting off the block and will get driven off the line of scrimmage. To summarize how he holds the edge, this is Jonathan Allen on every single outside run. Very rarely are you going to get passed him and he two-gaps impressively well. On power and iso runs I do however wish he could clean up some of his hand usage as he can get blown off the line of scrimmage and struggles getting off blocks when driven downhill.
He doesn’t get off the football all to well, as he doesn’t have the top tier explosiveness, but still has enough closing speed when he anticipates the snap count to make the quarterback pay for it. Not having the short area quickness or versatility to play on the outside makes him a strictly interior defensive lineman for my liking. I see him strictly as a 3-4 end and a 3 technique in a 4-3 front. I don’t see the bend, lateral quickness or drive to play on the outside. However, I see him as a disruptive force on the inside where he can use his hand quickness, power moves and pass rushing moves to cause trouble. He just doesn’t turn and sink his hips well enough to be considered a 4-3 end.
He has multiple moves, using head fakes, rip moves, an excellent bull rush while also showcasing nfl level of combo moves. Is so advanced in his pass rushing moves that he is more or less perfectly coached. His combo moves include an outside swim move combined with a head fake and a spin move inside, a club rip move combined with a nice jab or pull moves with head fakes. Frankly, he has more or less every trick up his sleeve and his combination of using his hands, different pass rushing techniques and understanding of the game is what makes Jonathan Allen such a special player. He is not unathletic, but he isn’t athletic enough to win with quickness in the NFL, and is strictly a technique and power rusher.
Charting his games, most of Jonathan Allen’s flashy production came on cleanup sacks, for instance, both his half sacks vs Western Kentucky. Against USC his first sack was where he was unblocked, with the 2nd one being a cleanup play where someone else got the initial pressure while Jon Allen was blocked by a tight end. He had two amazing superman sacks, first one against Kentucky wasn’t as impressive as the Texas A&m, but regardless he anticipated the snap really well both times even tough it was an obvious pass situation. Sacks aside, his pressure count was something I was a bit disappointed in. Take for example the Kentucky game I hardly registered a pressure by Jon Allen, WKU he had a few very nice interior pressures, but couldn’t get much done on the outside. It’s obviously hard to get pressure when Tim Williams consistently blows up plays before Jon Allen gets there, but I was surprised how he consistently had control of his man, though he just couldn’t get to the quarterback in time. The closing speed is something I worry about for him to be a consistent disruptive threat.
My main problem with Jonathan Allen, which in some circumstances aren’t a problem (as I am a big fan of Jonathan Allen) is that he isn’t very explosive. Rarely do you see him burst into the backfield and make plays and you just sit there thinking what the hell was that? The superman sack is one of few instances where he blows up a play immediately, but he isn’t the guy who is going to get to the quarterback quickly, he isn’t going to be a guy who makes tackles in the backfield, but rather the guy who cleans up and gets coverage sacks. Like I said, this doesn’t have to be a problem, it’s just where you invest in Jonathan Allen. It is tough for me to invest a high first round pick on a guy who won’t be the main piece, but instead a very consistent and good piece. He is already at his peak, as he is excellent coached, has a very good build and has advanced football knowledge. However, I have the opinion of top 10 picks needs to have a game changing trait and despite Jonathan Allen having some very, very good pass rushing moves and a great understanding of the game, he just doesn’t for me warrant a top 10 pick. On the flip side, I still think he is worth a first-round pick, as he makes everyone around him better. I don’t think he has a very high ceiling, as I don’t see the Ndamukong Suh, Leonard Williams and Aaron Donald (++) tier. I see him more as a Star Lotulelei type of player, who is good, but not a game changer. A very safe player, as I see little chances of him busting, but like I’ve mentioned earlier, a top 5-10 pick is not what I would spend on a Jonathan Allen type of player. As Jon Allen is a power player with technique as his best attribute I don’t see him consistently beating similar technical players on offense. Jon Allen lacking the initial pressure is separating him from being an elite prospect and a good prospect in my books. Pressure is nice and all, but if you can’t get the initial pressure as a top 10 pick as an interior defensive linemen I can’t justify taking you top early.
Jonathan Allen is going to be a good to great starter in the NFL, and despite I don’t see him going to many pro bowls, being an all-pro or generally a very productive player, I see him have a very good career starting inside for a team. I think he is best suited as a 2-gapping 5 tech as his patience and ability to stack blocks is impressive. Despite me not liking him for the top 10, I definitely see the talent he has, and I do think he is a first round player. Don’t let the negatives distract you from the player Jonathan Allen is, and dependent on where he gets drafted will for me at least will determine if I think it is a good pick or not.
