Click here for linkThe next Courtney Upshaw?
That's years away from determining after five-star prospect Jonathan Allen made his commitment to Alabama official Monday, but his projected ceiling doesn't fall short of such acclaim.
Allen, who was born in Anniston and lives in Ashburn, Va., gave the Crimson Tide its 14th commitment for the class of 2013, and, according to 247Sports, its highest-rated prospect outside of consensus five-star linebacker Reuben Foster.
"At the end of day, I felt Alabama was the best fit for me," Allen told the Washington Post. "I'd develop more under (outside linebackers) coach Lance Thompson and the whole staff."
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No scouting service ranks the 6-foot-3, 245-pound Allen higher than 247Sports, which includes him among its current crop of 16 five-star prospects and considers him to be the top weak-side defensive end and No. 10 overall prospect in the nation.
Rivals.com sees Allen as the 10th-best strong-side defensive end and the 100th-best overall prospect. Scout.com simply has him as the 14th-best defensive end.
"I think he's pretty much elite at every skill required from the defensive end position. And it's pretty easily seen on video, too," 247Sports national recruiting analyst Gerry Hamilton said. "I don't think it's something hard to diagnose when you watch it. I think it stands out quickly from Snap 1 to however many snaps you watch.
"He has pretty much everything you're looking for in a defensive end prospect."
After receiving more than 50 scholarship offers, Allen recently narrowed his choices to five schools -- Virginia Tech, Florida, Penn State, Ohio State and Alabama -- according to The Post. Before visiting Tuscaloosa this past weekend, Allen cut his options to Alabama and Florida.
"I enjoyed everything about it," Allen said of his trip to Tuscaloosa. "I can't find one negative about the trip."
Hamilton said he feels the same way when he evaluates Allen's "versatile" game, which should allow him to play wherever Alabama decides. One place could be at Jack linebacker, the position dominated over the past two seasons by Upshaw, who was taken by the Baltimore Ravens in the second round of last month's NFL draft.
"He can do so many things," Hamilton said. "That's the thing when you look at him as a Jack linebacker -- he has the feet and the ability to change direction and the ability to rush the passer naturally off the edge.
"He's just a really big-time athlete for a guy that's 6-3, 245. At the end of the day, he's pretty much an exceptional athlete for his size."
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