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Mel Kiper Has Spoken, And The Falcons Pick Tackle Jeff Allen

Well, this is a new name. If it comes from the immortal Mel Kiper and his mesmerizing hair, then we're paying attention.

Allen is a senior tackle from Illinois who played both right and left in college, and some think profiles as a guard at the NFL level. He's got versatility, he's durable and tough and has quality size at 6'4" and 307 pounds. The frame's there to add a few more pounds if necessary, and Allen's undeniably a good pass protector with sound footwork.

The jury's out on his position, as I mentioned, and whether he can be an effective run blocker at the next level due to strength concerns. There's also a question of whether his form will work at the pro level, as some scouts consider his fundamentals sloppy despite quality results at Illinois. That's coachable enough, but a guy who projects as a right guard in the Falcons offense who has problems run blocking and lacks finesse doesn't sound like a terrific fit to me, to be frank.

Kiper's right in that Allen could be useful at more than one position for the Falcons, though, and if some of these concerns are conditioning and coaching, they're eminently fixable. Looking at Allen in that light, he may well be a worthy investment for the future, but you generally like a more polished product in the second round.

At the time Allen was selected, as Daniel Cox notes, guard Brandon Brooks (who the Falcoholic likes) and running back David Wilson (who the Falcoholic likes but plays a position the team doesn't particularly need) were still available.

Your thoughts on Allen?