Though it was painful for Jonathan Allen to admit it, the former Alabama star defender says Clemson product Deshaun Watson is the best player he’s ever played against.
Appearing on PFT Live, via Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk, Allen elaborated.
“Unfortunately, I hate to say it, but Deshaun Watson is probably the most mentally tough player I’ve ever played against. There’s no way around it. He’s by far the best player I’ve ever played,” Allen said. “As much as I hate to say it, he’s the real deal. When I hear reporters say he’s a mid- or late-round guy, it blows my mind. I see him as a Top 5 pick. That’s just my personal opinion about it. He’s the real deal.”
It’s not surprising to see how much respect Watson earned in his two championship games against Alabama. During those two games, Watson helped Clemson beat the Tide once to claim the title after the 2016 season and nearly did enough to beat them in the previous title game.
In those two games, Watson passed for 825 yards with seven touchdowns and just one interception. He also added 106 yards and a touchdown rushing.
Though there is no true consensus top quarterback heading into the 2017 NFL Draft, it’s widely assumed Watson will be selected somewhere in the first round. If that doesn’t happen, then teams are doing to have Dabo Swinney to answer to.