:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62599435/DSC_8604.0.jpg)
With just one game left in his college career, Josh Allen’s NFL stock may not ever get any higher than it is now.
ESPN football analyst, Mel Kiper Jr, updated his Big Board of the top 25 available players for the 2019 NFL Draft and Kentucky’s very own senior linebacker made the list. Allen was previously ranked 9th on Kiper’s big board, but the updated list has Allen being the fourth-best available player for the 2019 NFL Draft.
This is what Mel Kiper had to say about Allen:
“I pegged Allen before the season as a potential Day 2 pick, as he broke out in 2017 with seven sacks, 66 tackles, and an interception. He has definitely been underrated in this class, and now he has the chance to be a top-10 pick. Josh Allen is disruptive, and he has the length that all NFL teams love as a 3-4 outside linebacker. Allen has 14 sacks this season, and this includes a 3 sack game against South Carolina, and has 5 forced fumbles as well.”
Kentucky hasn’t had a top-five NFL draft pick since Dewayne Robertson in the 2003 draft.
Kiper isn’t the only draft guru who’s high on Allen. Matt Miller of Bleacher Report, one of the top draft analysts around, also believes Allen is trending toward top-five status:
Josh Allen (Kentucky) still one of my favorites in this class. Top 10 grade for a while now, but reshuffling my mock this morning and think he could be drafted in the top 5. If Bosa goes No. 1, as expected, teams like #49ers, #Raiders, #Jets with a need at EDGE could love him
— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) November 29, 2018
Allen has definitely become a star this year after having a monstrous season with the Wildcats. He finished off his senior season at Kentucky with 52 solo tackles, 32 assisted tackles, 18.5 tackles for a loss, 14 sacks, and 5 forced fumbles (this is not even including the bowl game if Allen chooses to play in it).
All of Big Blue Nation thinks that Allen should be a high pick when it comes draft night,and the fact that he is getting this much recognition from some analysts bodes well for him.
Wherever Allen lands after the 2019 draft, that team will land a workhorse who only wants to get better with each and every game, and they will also have an incredible specimen in Allen.