TUSCALOOSA, Ala.– The rich get richer and for Alabama defensive end Jonathan Allen, his pockets will be pretty fat come NFL Draft time in April of 2017. He was announced as the recipient of the Ted Hendricks Award on Wednesday, per the Ted Hendricks Foundation. The Ted Hendricks honor is presented to college football’s best defensive end, and it’s Allen second national award of the week. He won the 2016 Bronko Nagurski Trophy on Tuesday, which goes to college football’s National Defensive Player of the Year.
The 6-foot-3, 291-pounder is a finalist for the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award, the Chuck Bednarik Award and the Lott IMPACT Trophy. Allen anchors a unit that’s first nationally in total defense, rush defense, scoring defense and defensive touchdowns. He leads the team in quarterback hurries (15), while sharing the lead in sacks (8.5).
The Leesburg, Va., native has fumble returns for touchdowns and his 26.5 career sacks move him to second all-time in school history, behind former Crimson Tide standout and NFL Hall of Famer Derrick Thomas.
Allen was joined by Utah’s Hunter Dimick, Tennessee’s Derek Barnett, Boston College’s Harold Landry, Pittsburgh’s Ejuan Price and Florida State’s DeMarcus Walker as finalists for the award. Allen will be presented with the Ted Hendricks Award at the 2016 Hendricks Award Dinner in Miami, Fla., in early 2017.
***All information comes via press release from UA’s athletic department of communication***
Stephen M. Smith is a senior analyst and columnist for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @Smsmith_TDALMag.
