The Jacksonville Jaguars have signed 2019 first-round draft pick DE/LB Josh Allen to his NFL rookie contract, the club announced today.
“The journey began when I got drafted here, but now it’s official,” said Allen. “Now, I get to put my head down, get to work and continue to try and be the best player I can.”
With the seventh overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the Jaguars selected Allen from the University of Kentucky. Allen, 6-5, 262, did not miss a game in his four-year career, playing in all 51 games with 35 starts. He totaled 224 tackles, 41 tackles for loss, 31.5 sacks, 11 forced fumbles, two FFs and eight passes defensed. In 2018, Allen had a team-high 88 tackles, 17.0 sacks, 21.5 TFL and five forced fumbles, earning consensus first-team All-America honors, SEC Defensive Player of the Year and was honored with the Bronko Nagurski Award, presented to the nation’s top defensive player. Allen’s 17.0 sacks were the most by an SEC player in a single season since the NCAA started official sack records in 2000 and he ranked second nationally in sacks, fourth in fumbles forced and sixth in TFL. As a junior in 2017, Allen earned Associated Press All-SEC Second Team, Phil Steele All-SEC Third Team and was a Butkus Award semifinalist after totaling 65 tackles, 9.5 TFL and 7.0 sacks. Allen started nine games as a sophomore in 2016 and played in all 12 games as a freshman in 2015.
“I see a little of myself in him,” said fourth-year DE Yannick Ngakoue following OTA No.1. “I definitely want to get with him each and every day and try to get him better. The better he is, the more he can take double teams off him and myself.”
Allen is the sixth of the team’s seven 2019 draft selections under contract. Only LB Quincy Williams remains unsigned.