NFL Draft 2019: Jaguars add Kentucky sack-master Josh Allen

The Jacksonville Jaguars drafted Kentucky’s Josh Allen with the eighth overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. Is he the future of the that defense?

Josh Allen was one of the best pass rushers in football a season ago, but it’s something he’s been improving upon since he stepped on campus. His 31.5 career sacks rank first all-time at Kentucky, and now he’s on to terrorize AFC South quarterbacks.

The Jaguars are, once again, going through a transitioning period having moved on from quarterback Blake Bortles. But adding a piece defensively like Allen could prove to be a franchise-altering move.

This isn’t an unfamiliar position the Jaguars are trying to fill, though, as they moved on from their 2015 first round pick, defensive end Dante Fowler, just last season. They drafted him third overall, but he only managed 14 sacks in his three seasons in Jacksonville, an underwhelming output for such a high pick.

With Calais Campbell getting up there in age and Yannick Ngakoue potentially leaving via free agency next summer, Allen could be thrust into a starting role very early. Of course, that should be expected for any Top-10 pick. Should he be expected to produce high sack totals early on, though?

The Jaguars do have strong second- and third-level players, though, so Allen’s job in his first and second years will be made easier by players like Telvin Smith and Jalen Ramsey. And at 6-foot-5 and 260 pounds, the 2018 SEC Defensive Player of the Year is in a prime position to become a star.

The Jaguars get a B- grade for this pick, not because of Josh Allen’s talents, but because of the players still on the board at the time of the pick. Houston’s Ed Oliver would’ve been solid. Iowa’s T.J. Hockenson would’ve been a great fit, too. But Allen fills a need and is worth a Top-10 pick.