Round 1
Pick 4, Josh Allen, EDGE, Kentucky
While not the seemingly bust-proof prospect of Nick Bosa, Josh Allen, the SEC’s sack leader, would be a dangerous piece to add to a lacking but young Raiders defensive line.
Allen does possess something Bosa doesn’t have however, burst. The Kentucky EDGE fires off the snap, using his 6’5″ frame and long strides to eat ground quickly up the arc. His explosiveness was only highlighted more when he played with his hand in the dirt, something he was asked of rarely in the Kentucky defense. Combining this twitch with developed bend and flexibility despite an increase in weight gives you a prospect that threatens the corner consistently. Not only has Allen displayed that he can beat offensive tackles to the edge, dip and bend past the block then flip his hips and flatten to the quarterback, which is mouth-watering in of itself, he has also shown, with improved technique in his hand usage, the ability to shorten the corner. Allen has developed a plethora of pass rushing moves to compliment his athletic gifts, frequently using his hands to keep clean, and flashed some physical dominance by the way of the push-pull.
🚨FILM REVIEW KENTUCKY EDITION🚨
Josh Allen was just ridiculous last night pic.twitter.com/8o0elSMbJ2
— Brett Hudson (@Brett_Hudson) September 23, 2018
Allen exploding out of a three-point stance, tackle forced to hold to avoid giving up the sack.
An improved feel and timing for counters is needed to truly utilise Allen’s speed of the edge. Offensive linemen would consistently over-set outside to combat his get-off, recognising this and switching inside with a counter would punish any tackles looking to cheat towards the corner. Allen rarely converts speed to power which is unsurprising given his success in other areas, however injecting some power into his rushing repertoire by way of the long arm or hump could convert a threating pass rushing prospect, into a deadly one.
Allen can’t just be a pass rushing specialist as a defensive end in Defensive Coordinator Paul Guenther’s 4-3 base defense however, especially if playing opposite slippery, projected weak side defensive end Arden Key. Again though, Allen has shown improvement in his run defense, demonstrating the ability to stack and shed, as well as maintain the edge. He doesn’t currently have the power to consistently reset the line of scrimmage, and occasionally gets engulfed when not set and ready. Allen could also stand to be a bigger hitter in the run game but doesn’t miss tackles often and displays good awareness of the ball when making plays on both the quarterback and rushers.
PFF Player Profile:
Edge defender Josh Allen's Road to the #NFLDraft #NFLCombine
https://t.co/iUA9vbd5uE pic.twitter.com/a2UppngcDF— PFF Las Vegas Raiders (@PFF_Raiders) March 3, 2019
While not an element of Guenther’s scheme thus far, Allen has shown the fluidity to drop into coverage and be successful. Versatility is a coveted attribute in the NFL and Allen has it in spades, providing something to think about for the Raiders staff, especially with Head Coach Jon Gruden already breaking the mould with the signing of small, yet versatile safety Lamarcus Joyner. Gives the Raiders the option to drop him off the line and have somebody with the size and athleticism to finally cover a tight end.
One of my favorite plays of the college football season:
Kentucky edge rusher Josh Allen running with TE Jace Sternberger and breaking up the pass
Allen has the top pass-rush grade in the nation and he's dropped into coverage 101 times this year pic.twitter.com/NKl7fldlS2
— Steve Palazzolo (@PFF_Steve) October 29, 2018
While there is work to be done for a prospect like Allen to dominate in a 4-3 front, his remarkable and consistent improvements year on year (starting as a special-teamer and finishing as Kentucky’s all-time career sack leader) will give NFL front offices confidence in selecting him for the role of a starting DE. With the Raiders defensive line being the league worst at getting to the quarterback, and only naming two defensive ends, they must target pass rush early, and if a sack artist like Allen is still available, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Gruden sprint to the podium himself.
