Atlanta Falcons: Five potential defensive lineman draft picks for 2016
By Curtis Hobbs
4) Jonathan Allen, Alabama
Sep 5, 2015; Arlington, TX, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide defensive lineman Jonathan Allen (93) sacks Wisconsin Badgers quarterback Joel Stave (2) during the second quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
When it comes to putting players in the NFL, Alabama has become a factory in doing so. With the likes of Julio Jones and others, every NFL GM knows exactly what to expect when drafting a player from Nick Saban’s team. And it doesn’t stand any different when the GMs will look at Jonathan Allen who was part of one of the most impressive defensive fronts in the history of college football.
This guy is a wrecking ball, and, honestly, will put fear into the eyes of all the defensive lineman on any NFL roster he lands. He is a man among boys on every play on the field, and should transition well as a great, run stopping defensive end that will provide pressure on the quarterback. But his run stopping ability is something that the Falcons must continue to work on every year, and Allen would be a perfect building block to do so.
Other GMs will be thinking the same, and it will be a long-shot to get him after, hopefully, taking Nkemdiche or Calhoun first. But even if those two are off the board, Allen will be perfect to fit into this Falcons defensive front.
Next: No. 5