Former Alabama defensive lineman Jonathan Allen has no doubts about former Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson.
Allen said on PFT Live that although he would prefer not to give credit to the player who beat his team in this year’s national championship game, he has never seen a better player than Watson.
“Unfortunately, I hate to say it, but Deshaun Watson is probably the most mentally tough player I’ve ever played against. There’s no way around it. He’s by far the best player I’ve ever played,” Allen said. “As much as I hate to say it, he’s the real deal. When I hear reporters say he’s a mid- or late-round guy, it blows my mind. I see him as a Top 5 pick. That’s just my personal opinion about it. He’s the real deal.”
Allen, who is viewed by many as the No. 2 overall prospect in the draft behind Texas A&M pass rusher Myles Garrett, said many teams are showing interest but he’s unsure which one will pick him.
“A lot of teams have shown interest but you really never know,” Allen said. “The Panthers came in about two weekends ago, I visited the Chicago Bears and Baltimore Ravens, I leave tomorrow to go to Jacksonville, and from there I have the Chargers and the Titans.”
Allen will be in demand and will probably go higher than Watson, the quarterback he faced in two national championship games.