Jonathan Allen looks like even more of a steal when reassessing 2017 NFL Draft

Jonathan Allen fell into the Redskins’ lap with the 17th pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. Three seasons later, he looks like even more of a steal when looking at the first round as a whole.

During the lead-up to the 2017 NFL Draft, it was assumed that Jonathan Allen was going to be a top-10 lock. There was even an outside chance that he could go in the top five. But nobody expected that the Alabama product would fall into the lap of the Washington Redskins with the 17th pick.

But that’s exactly what happened. Because of a mediocre combine and concerns swirling around about a shoulder injury that he had, Allen was available for Washington. And they didn’t waste much time before making the pick.

Three years later, that pick is looking like a very strong one. And it’s still a steal when comparing his success to the other first-round picks of the 2017 NFL Draft.

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The Redskins picked up Allen’s fifth-year option for 2021 this offseason. It was a no-brainer for the team as Allen has emerged as a leader in the locker room and has been a rock-solid starter.  As a rookie, he did a lot to strengthen the team’s defensive line, their biggest weakness at the time, before going out with a Lisfranc injury after six games. Over the past two seasons, he has played in 31 of 32 possible games logging 14 sacks while serving as a good run stopper as well (129 total tackles).

That said, Allen’s other counterparts from the 2017 NFL Draft’s first round haven’t performed as well. In fact, 14 of the 32 first-round picks didn’t have their fifth-year options picked up, including four of the top-five picks in the draft. Seven of those 14 players were picked in front of Allen.

So, it’s safe to say that there are a handful of teams picking in the top 15 that wish they had taken Allen instead of the players they targeted. Some notable ones include the San Francisco 49ers (EDGE Solomon Thomas), the Tennessee Titans (WR Corey Davis), and the Cincinnati Bengals (WR John Ross). All could’ve used Allen more than the player they nabbed in the top 10.

The Redskins should feel pretty good about landing Allen and selecting him. He filled the team’s biggest need in 2017 and was the first building block added to start the construction of their now-elite defensive line. His production and leadership skills will prove valuable for the Redskins in years to come, especially if he receives an extension in the not-so-distant future.

All told, Allen was among the best players that the Redskins could’ve taken at 17 overall. And the fact that he’s better than so many who went before him confirms that he was a steal of a draft pick for Washington.