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Washington Redskins Select DL Jonathan Allen With No. 17 Overall Pick

By Jacob Camenker

Dec 31, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide defensive lineman Jonathan Allen (93) walks on the field during the first quarter in the 2016 CFP Semifinal against the Washington Huskies at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 31, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide defensive lineman Jonathan Allen (93) walks on the field during the first quarter in the 2016 CFP Semifinal against the Washington Huskies at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Washington Redskins had to land an impact player with the No. 17 overall pick. They managed to land one of the steals of the draft by selecting Jonathan Allen.

This offseason has been a tumultuous one for the Washington Redskins. At the NFL Combine, is was reported that their general manager Scot McCloughan was not with the team. At the start of free agency, he was gone. Operating without a general manager, the team utilized Bruce Allen, their president of football operations, in place of McCloughan. Allen was notable for his involvement in the Robert Griffin III trade, and he had a chance to redeem himself this year. He may have done that by selecting Jonathan Allen.

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Allen is an absolute steal at the No. 17 overall pick. At one point, he was a potential No. 1 overall pick. People were debating if Allen or Myles Garrett would be the best defender in this class. Allen was still ranked as a top five pick by most publications on draft day.

Frankly, based off on the field merits alone, Allen may be one of the most talented defensive players in the draft. He has recorded 22.5 sacks over the course of the last two seasons, and his versatility is unmatched. Allen was well coached at Alabama, and has excellent strength and size. He can play any position in a 3-4 front, and would make an excellent tackle in a 4-3 alignment.

However, after Allen had workouts that were just decent and it was revealed that he had some shoulder issues, he fell a bit. Some projected him in the latter half of the top 10. A fall this far was not feasible.

Bu tit happened, and the Redskins will reap the rewards. The weakest position on their roster was on the defensive line, and Allen will be able to play multiple positions for him. He is probably best at the 3-4 end position, but he could play the nose tackle position if it is absolutely necessary. Given the sorry state of the position on the Redskins roster, that may be a good idea.

Next: Washington Redskins Live Draft Blog

Ultimately, this draft could not have fallen any better for the Redskins. They were able to add a high caliber defender to fix some of their biggest weaknesses. Allen and the Redskins front office deserve a lot of praise for this pick.

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