Josh Allen OLB/ILB/DE Kentucky

Ford and Allen as our edges...

Originally posted by toppdogg32:
How could general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan pass on the complete package of a prospect in Bosa? Well, they might even have a reasonable reason once you dive into the finer details.
The acquisition of Dee Ford would undoubtedly be a very big part of why. It's not just that the 49ers added one of the best edge rushers in the league. It's how they plan to utilize him. Ford played as a linebacker for the Kansas City Chiefs. He was the wide-9 rusher, which made him a linebacker in the 3-4 defensive system the Chiefs employed.
The 49ers don't run a 3-4 scheme but rather a 4-3. Upon the completion of the trade, many wondered if the 49ers would play Ford in the SAM linebacker position in their defense. This will not be the case. When asked if Ford will be a defensive end, Lynch was succinct in his answer.
"We do," Lynch said at the press conference introducing Ford and Kwon Alexander last week. "That's what we see him as ... he fits the LEO mold perfectly."
This decision has a domino affect on the rest of the defensive line. With the LEO position taken, the 49ers must decide who will serve as the team's other defensive end as well as find a linebacker for the SAM position. If the 49ers draft Bosa, he would fill the "big end" spot as the team's other starting defensive end.
That would create a potential playing time problem for the 49ers incumbent defensive ends. There are four starting defensive line positions. DeForest Buckner will be taking one of the defensive tackle spots and Ford will be taking the LEO defensive end position. Two spots left with Arik Armstead, Solomon Thomas and potentially Bosa still unaccounted for. Someone would be the odd man out.
**** and some folks thought I was crazy to suggest Allen or Williams..

There's a fallacy in the reasoning that picking Bosa "would create a potential playing time problem of the 49ers incumbent defensive ends." It's not a bad thing to have a deep rotation of DL to be able to spread out the snaps. Armstead/Thomas can sub for Bosa on certain downs and distances. Bosa (as Aldon Smith did his first year) can sub for Armstead/Thomas on obvious passing downs. Thomas will also likely be playing inside more. Armstead can do that too. That combination could also help take some of the load off of Buckner, leaving him fresher at the end of games. Bosa could also sub for Ford at LEO so that Ford isn't playing too many snaps or in certain packages or if Ford gets banged up. Even as the #2 overall pick, the 49ers shouldn't want Bosa playing 1000+ snaps like Buckner did his first year.

If Bosa is gone at #2, I'm okay if the 49ers pick Allen, though I'd prefer a trade down at that point. However, if Bosa is there and the 49ers don't pick him, the reason why should not be because of a concern about playing time.

I like allens growth and how he has been durable. 7 sacks sophmore and junior year followed up by 17 inthe SEC while dropping back in coverage a ton.

I love that he played for his teamates in the bowl game when he was already projected top 5. I love that he stepped up on the biggest stage.

I love that he excelled in coverage and has the best all around game of any linebacker in a few years as far as top tier pass production and coverage grades.

All I really dislike is how I didnt see him win with power very much. He moved around and was effective using the rip and dip move on both sides. He could develop other moves, but as of right now, I feel like hes a lot like Dee Ford as a pass rusher.

I love his quickness and I think he is actually capable of chasing Russell Wilson down outof the pocket. I'm sick of watchingthat little prick elude our whole pass rushfor 10 seconds.

I feel bosa has more to offer as an anchor of the defensive line playing every down at defensive end. The versatility Allen brings is incredible though.

I love a lot of thinga about Allen. I think he is a high character guy, and I would not be upset if we picked him up at 2. I would be absolutley thrilled if we traded down and still got him.

Originally posted by NTeply49:
I like allens growth and how he has been durable. 7 sacks sophmore and junior year followed up by 17 inthe SEC while dropping back in coverage a ton.

I love that he played for his teamates in the bowl game when he was already projected top 5. I love that he stepped up on the biggest stage.

I love that he excelled in coverage and has the best all around game of any linebacker in a few years as far as top tier pass production and coverage grades.

All I really dislike is how I didnt see him win with power very much. He moved around and was effective using the rip and dip move on both sides. He could develop other moves, but as of right now, I feel like hes a lot like Dee Ford as a pass rusher.

I love his quickness and I think he is actually capable of chasing Russell Wilson down outof the pocket. I'm sick of watchingthat little prick elude our whole pass rushfor 10 seconds.

I feel bosa has more to offer as an anchor of the defensive line playing every down at defensive end. The versatility Allen brings is incredible though.

I love a lot of thinga about Allen. I think he is a high character guy, and I would not be upset if we picked him up at 2. I would be absolutley thrilled if we traded down and still got him.

I agree. Bosa is more stout, more of a Chris Long/Howi Long kind of stout yet still a good pass rusher kind of player and Allen is more the Dee Ford kind of player. Considering we have Dee Ford - who is a very fast player who is decent against the run (and an Allen clone) I favor Bosa as the pick because he offers a different skillset than Dee Ford, but if Bosa is not there - I'm all for Josh Allen as our pick. I think he can replace Dee Ford, once Dee Ford's contract runs out and be our franchise edge rusher. And is also good depth considering that Dee Ford has been dinged in the past. His herniated back disk kind of makes me want to protect him as much as possible by rotating him with Bosa/Allen to make sure he doesn't wear out in a 16 game season.

Since the nickel defense is basically the base defense today, Allen would play more DE than Sam.
The wide 9 front four is also an excellent fit for guys like him or Dee Ford.
So there is a possibility that they draft him because he is a great fit. The fact that he is a great leader on and off the field and that he improves massively every year in college, is a big plus for him.
And with the way the 2017 first round is leaning to bust , you have to think that they will be safe now. That´s one of the reasons they took McGlinchey. Not the most flashy guy but a solid player and man already.
I could see Allen being the pick indeed.
But if Bosa is there, this is a no brainer really. I think the discussion is more do we draft Quinnen or Allen if Arizona take Bosa?
Quinnen is maybe the best player in this draft but short and long term Allen is the better fit for team building perspective.

Originally posted by NTeply49:

I like allens growth and how he has been durable. 7 sacks sophmore and junior year followed up by 17 inthe SEC while dropping back in coverage a ton.

I love that he played for his teamates in the bowl game when he was already projected top 5. I love that he stepped up on the biggest stage.

I love that he excelled in coverage and has the best all around game of any linebacker in a few years as far as top tier pass production and coverage grades.

All I really dislike is how I didnt see him win with power very much. He moved around and was effective using the rip and dip move on both sides. He could develop other moves, but as of right now, I feel like hes a lot like Dee Ford as a pass rusher.

I love his quickness and I think he is actually capable of chasing Russell Wilson down outof the pocket. I'm sick of watchingthat little prick elude our whole pass rushfor 10 seconds.

I feel bosa has more to offer as an anchor of the defensive line playing every down at defensive end. The versatility Allen brings is incredible though.

I love a lot of thinga about Allen. I think he is a high character guy, and I would not be upset if we picked him up at 2. I would be absolutley thrilled if we traded down and still got him.

Great write-up. Just exactly how a lot of people feel about him.

Originally posted by pdc20:
Since the nickel defense is basically the base defense today, Allen would play more DE than Sam.
The wide 9 front four is also an excellent fit for guys like him or Dee Ford.
So there is a possibility that they draft him because he is a great fit. The fact that he is a great leader on and off the field and that he improves massively every year in college, is a big plus for him.
And with the way the 2017 first round is leaning to bust , you have to think that they will be safe now. That´s one of the reasons they took McGlinchey. Not the most flashy guy but a solid player and man already.
I could see Allen being the pick indeed.
But if Bosa is there, this is a no brainer really. I think the discussion is more do we draft Quinnen or Allen if Arizona take Bosa?
Quinnen is maybe the best player in this draft but short and long term Allen is the better fit for team building perspective.

Yeah, if Bosa is gone we have to take Allen. He plays a positional of vital importance to this team. As apposed to taking Williams and having to move people around. Bosa or Allen has to be the pick.

Originally posted by mayo49:

Yeah, if Bosa is gone we have to take Allen. He plays a positional of vital importance to this team. As apposed to taking Williams and having to move people around. Bosa or Allen has to be the pick.

Interesting. Even though all the technical people are drooling over q?

Originally posted by Heroism:
Ford and Allen as our edges...

I'm down with that if Williams goes 1st which I hope not because we have not one or two guys up front capable of blocking him. Josh Allen is going to be great as a pro, By far the best outside pass rusher in the draft. Proven against the best.

Originally posted by Heroism:

Ford and Allen as our edges...

I'm growing more and more confident that we get Bosa. But time to time I think back and remember Josh allen. Remember the good times I had picturing him in our defense. Still kinda miss him. Haven't forgotten him. I will never forget him.

Originally posted by Ark49er:

Originally posted by Heroism:

Ford and Allen as our edges...

I'm down with that if Williams goes 1st which I hope not because we have not one or two guys up front capable of blocking him. Josh Allen is going to be great as a pro, By far the best outside pass rusher in the draft. Proven against the best.

You do know that you just told Baby Bosas Baby Daddy that there's a better edge than his son right?

It is intriguing, the hype that always surround the top draft picks, for nearly two years, I had been hearing about Nick Bosa and how great he was, with claims that he was even better than Joey. Obviously since I don't really watch college football, I had to go by the general public hype and highlights on youtube.
As the season went on two other names were added to the equation as the best players in the draft, Quinnen Williams and Josh Allen.

After the season ended and we started getting in to the senior bowl and combine season, I did what I always do before any draft, I started watching full game tapes on the best prospects I want the niners to possibly draft.

I started with Josh Allen because out of nowhere he exploded in his senior season and dominated the SEC and and there were differing opinion about his talent or lack thereof, from statements like "all he has is a speed rush", to "he has no counters", or to "most of his sacks were unblocked". After watching a lot of game footage on him (Georgia, Penn State, Missouri, Tennessee, South Carolina, Missisipi State, Florida) amongst others, my opinion is that he is absolutely the real deal.

He plays nearly half of his snaps in coverage and is by a country mile the best player on the Kentucky defense so you can imagine the amount of game planning the offense puts into taking him out of plays, he also sees more double teams than Bosa. If you have never actually watched his tape, I suggest you do so and you will indeed see that he has an elite first steps, he has a variety of pass rush moves and counters, of which I have previously posted clips of in a previous thread, the only move I haven't seen him do on a consistent basis is mainly the bull rush and the long arm but he has the tools he needs to step in to the NFL from day one and give offensive tackles problems. He is quite special when it comes to Stunts, Imagine Defo occupies the Tackle and the Guard, imagine the speed, Dee Ford and Allen will use to get in to the backfield.

I don't really have to speak about his strength in coverage, as I am sure everyone knows that for being 260lbs and 6'5, he can keep up with tight ends if needs be and he is quite good at it.

If I had to point to a specific weakness in his game, I'd say that he does not set the edge well enough in the run game, he does get a lot of tackle for losses so he is capable of stopping the run, but that is really down to him being in the backfield a lot, he definitely has a lot of work to do in the run game.

Quinnen is the best player in the draft but If Allen is the pick at 2, I would not complain as I feel he is good enough to start immediately at Sam and line up opposite Ford in Nickel.

Showed a lot of character in this interview

he HAS to be the pick, right? RIGHT?????