2019 NFL Draft: Zach Allen? Crude but certainly effective

The 2019 NFL draft is a class noted for its defensive line strengths. Zach Allen is a member of that group but is he worthy of it?

His productivity offers mixed results. While he had 40.5 sacks in his college career, which is good, he only had 16.5 sacks. So it’s difficult to know for sure how good of a pass rusher he can be. Is he capable of being that 10-sack-per-year guy or is he destined to be the #2 guy or even the primary reserve? His scouting report should reveal much.

Position: DE

School: Boston College

Year: Junior

Height: 6’4

Weight: 281 lbs

STRENGTHS:

• Better athlete than one might assume. Showed he could play standing up in a two-point stance numerous times without being exposed.
• For such a bigger guy he’s surprisingly quick. Can move pretty well laterally and can change directions from outside to inside without sacrificing momentum.
• Has the ability to make himself small shooting through gaps, often allowing him to knife into the backfield and disrupt plays.
• Smart player who maintains good aware. Maintains contain on the backside and gets his hands up when quarterbacks go on shorter drops.

If coaches can’t find a use for Allen’s skill set, then they won’t be employed long. This play shows what he’s about. Gets off the snap quickly, swipes the initial blocking attempt off, maintains good leverage by dipping his shoulder under the tackle and then powers around the edge and finishes to the quarterback for a sack. Maybe not always pretty, but effective.

• Snap anticipation is solid. Rarely the late getting out of his stance and routinely is able to time it up well so he gets maximum impact from it.
• Has the desired size and power base to set the edge against the run. Isn’t going to be constantly driven off the ball.
• Makes great use of his hands. Never lets blockers get into his body and uses them with proper violence to keep himself free.
• The motor keeps running. Never stops fighting through blocks until the whistle. One of those guys who gets the hustle sacks.

WEAKNESSES:

• Explosion is average at best. It just isn’t his game. No matter how well he times the snap he will rarely beat NFL tackles to the edge.
• Flexibility isn’t ideal when it comes to bending the edge. He’s not super stiff but he doesn’t always get the needed leverage to turn the corner.
• He could do a better job with his tackling. Despite having numerous shots at ball carriers, he has a tendency to let them slip away.
• Not a guy who should be asked to run a lot. Doesn’t have a huge amount of speed. Most ball carriers can beat him to the edge.
• Has a tendency to lose his balance and end up on the ground whenever he’s forced to go east-west rather than north-south.

Pro Comparison: Pernell McPhee

McPhee was a unique mixture of size and power along with underrated athleticism. He could’ve played defensive end or outside linebacker and eventually became a solid pass rusher in Baltimore and Chicago. He likely could’ve had a better career if knee injuries hadn’t constantly derailed him. Nonetheless, he was a good player for a long time in the league.

Projection: 2nd Round

Allen is built like McPhee but he’s a slightly better athlete with more quickness. That plus his power and well-developed pass rush skills will make him a quality addition to any defense he lands in. He may never THE guy for a defense, but he’ll end up being that workhorse who just churns out decent production year after year.