2019 NFL Draft: EDGE Josh Allen a player the 49ers need to watch
By Peter Panacy
With the San Francisco 49ers likely selecting high in the 2019 NFL Draft, Kentucky EDGE Josh Allen should easily be high on the team’s radar, considering he fits a major need.
If the San Francisco 49ers wind up with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, they shouldn’t get cute and pursue any “outside the box” options with the selection. Ohio State EDGE Nick Bosa, widely viewed as the top overall prospect in this upcoming draft class, should be the pick.
According to Football Outsiders, however, the Niners aren’t the favorites to land the top pick this April. General manager John Lynch and Co. currently have 34.1 percent odds to secure the No. 1 overall selection, while the Arizona Cardinals’ odds are at 47.2 percent.
There’s a real possibility San Francisco winds up picking at No. 2 or No. 3. And if that winds up being the case, Kentucky EDGE Josh Allen should be the selection.
Allen’s stock has risen significantly over the past couple months, all but solidifying his placement as a top-10 EDGE in an NFL Draft class laden with pass-rushing prospects.
And it isn’t as if his numbers aren’t doing the talking:
| Tack | Tack | Tack | Tack | Tack | Def | Def | Def | Fumb | Fumb | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | School | Conf | Class | Pos | G | Solo | Ast | Tot | Loss | Sk | Int | Yds | PD | FR | FF |
| 2015 | Kentucky | SEC | FR | LB | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 1.5 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| *2016 | Kentucky | SEC | SO | LB | 13 | 32 | 30 | 62 | 8.5 | 7.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| *2017 | Kentucky | SEC | JR | LB | 13 | 32 | 34 | 66 | 10.5 | 7.0 | 1 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| 2018 | Kentucky | SEC | SR | LB | 12 | 52 | 32 | 84 | 18.5 | 14.0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 5 |
| Career | Kentucky | 117 | 99 | 216 | 39.0 | 28.5 | 1 | 14 | 8 | 2 | 11 |
Provided by CFB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 12/14/2018.
There’s plenty to like about the 6-foot-5, 260-pound pass-rusher’s game too:
There are some comparisons out there suggesting Allen is a lot like former 49ers outside rusher Aldon Smith’s on-field abilities. It’s not hard to draw the connection. Allen has more than a few quality pass-rush moves, translating his speed to effective abilities to get inside or bend around offensive linemen with relative ease.
And if you watch the above video, you can see just how violent he is getting to the quarterback. That’s a much-needed trait for San Francisco’s defense.
Recently, Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller pegged Allen as the No. 3 overall prospect on his Round 1 big board. Not surprisingly, Bosa is No. 1 and Alabama defensive tackle Quinnen Williams is No. 2.
The Niners have a solid crop of interior defenders already, making any suggestion of a Williams-to-San Francisco scenario a bit short sighted. Allen, on the other hand, would fit a key need for the 49ers if they don’t secure the top pick in April’s draft and Bosa isn’t available.
San Francisco currently is tied for 21st in sacks this season with 31, the majority of which have come from the inside presence of defensive tackle DeForest Buckner (9.0 sacks) or off blitz packages. The team’s top edge rusher, Cassius Marsh, has just 3.5 quarterback takedowns on the season.
Adding a player like Allen, if that winds up being the route taken, would do a tremendous bit of good for the Niners’ anemic pass rush, making use of the team’s remaining defensive line talent and taking pressure off a secondary forced to react to the lack of pressure up front.
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So, if Bosa can’t wind up being the selection, there’s no reason for Lynch and Co. to pass on Allen.