Top NFL Draft prospect just proved why the Minnesota Vikings need to make him their top priority
Brian Flores prioritizes one key element with his defenses, and C.J Allen epitomizes that.
Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores has led one of the top defenses in the NFL during his three seasons with the purple and gold.
When you look at how Flores has maximized the units with the Vikings, it comes down to one thing: intelligence. They haven’t had the most talent in the league on all three levels of the defense, but they are always in-sync with each other, which is needed to run all of the pre-snap disguises the Vikings use regularly.
C.J. Allen proves why the Vikings need to make him their top priority
When looking at potential NFL Draft prospects that fit what Flores wants to do, we often look solely at athletic traits in the first round more than anything. Those are incredibly important, but understanding how to use those gifts is just as important.
Georgia Bulldogs linebacker C.J. Allen is one of the top prospects in this class, and the second or third-best linebacker in the NFL Draft, depending on how you classify Ohio State Buckeyes’ Arvell Reese. Not only is Allen one of the better draft prospects, but he also has something others won’t have: high-level football IQ. He told Brett Kollmann that Georgia defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann let him run the show.
It’s not crazy to see an NFL middle linebacker run the show because they run the defense like a quarterback does the offense. What’s somewhat crazy is seeing a 20-year-old run a defense as complex as Georgia’s like Allen did.
You are responsible for a multitude of different things to maximize the unit as a whole. Being able to handle that is a big responsibility, and doing so at Georgia for Schumann speaks volumes about what he can be. Allen wouldn’t have to be the guy calling the shots for the Vikings right away, but having the aptitude to be the guy who takes over those duties from Cashman in a year or two.
Right away, he could step into a starting role next to Cashman and be an impact player in all aspects of the defense. Plus, that level of football IQ proves that Allen can handle what Flores throws at him.
If the Vikings want to maximize what their defense can be, Allen is the choice.