3. Jonathan Allen, defensive end, Alabama
That Allen dominated his competition the past two years as a member of the Alabama Crimson Tide is an undeniable fact. The big man tallied 30.5 tackles for a loss and 22.5 sacks during the 2015-16 seasons and was a key cog in the team’s national championship-winning team after the 2015 season.
Because of these accomplishments, Allen occupies top spots on big boards across the Internet, usually as a top-five prospect. However, there are two things at play here that could impact him in a major way going forward.
First off, we must address the fact that Allen simply didn’t look explosive or test particularly well at the combine. That’s not a game-changer, as his tape is clearly impressive. But what could be a big deal is the fact his medicals at the combine showed an arthritic issue in his shoulders.
The second thing we’re worried about is whether Allen’s huge impact at Alabama had more to do with the amazing talent Nick Saban has at every position than Allen’s ability to dominate consistently on an island — especially against the NFL’s best.