Jacksonville Jaguars pass rusher Josh Allen has really come into his own in the 2023 season. Playing out the fifth-year option on his rookie deal, Allen has put himself in a position to truly cash in as a free agent in 2024.
Through 12 games, the Kentucky product leads the Jaguars with 13.0 sacks, adding 45 total tackles with 11 tackles for loss and 24 quarterback hits. He has added two forced fumbles and one interception, developing into the kind of playmaker the team had hoped for when they used the No. 7 overall pick on him in the 2019 NFL Draft.
There is certainly a chance the Jaguars use the franchise tag on Allen to ensure they can negotiate exclusively with him. But, should they opt against that, he is going to have a very strong market.
NFL News & Rumors: Josh Allen, Dallas Turner, Jacksonville Jaguars, 2024 NFL Draft Updates
Premier pass rushers like that rarely are made available and teams will throw money at him. If he isn’t available in free agency, others will turn their attention to the NFL Draft, hoping to get as lucky as the Jaguars did when they selected him.
Who could fit that mold this year? In the opinion of Matt Miller of ESPN, the player comp that he likes the most for the Jaguars star pass rusher in the 2024 NFL Draft class is Alabama edge rusher, Dallas Turner.
“Dallas Turner to Jaguars edge rusher Josh Allen. Both are long, lean rushers who can play with a hand down in the dirt or standing up in an outside linebacker alignment. Turner has better play power coming out of college than Allen did, but the speed rush he brings and his length as a linebacker reminds me of Allen back in 2019,” Miller wrote.
NFL News & Rumors: Josh Allen, Dallas Turner, Jacksonville Jaguars, 2024 NFL Draft Updates
Turner has been productive for the Crimson Tide this season. In 13 games he has recorded 50 total tackles with 13.5 tackles for loss and 9.0 sacks. He is a true game breaker on the defensive side of the ball and has a chance to see his stock continue to climb.
Alabama is set to face Michigan in the College Football Player, providing Turner with at least one more chance to put some tape together against an excellent opponent. A good game against the Wolverines, and a possible National Championship Game, could have Turner vaulting into the top-10, just as Allen was in 2019 for the Jaguars.
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