This is a brainstorm but I think drafting a guy like Chenal helps a lot against Allen. For one he is an exceptional athlete. He has the cornering of much lighter player and great burst and long speed. He has a big tackle radius too and great power. He is someone who could wrap him up because he has the length, size, and movement skills to do that. He is a great pass rusher whether you use him coming downhill from a linebacker spot, lining him up against a guard or center on the LOS, or used in games. So with him you’d be getting more pass rush too. You would also be able to do a lot more with simulated pressure and figuring out who is rushing and who isn’t and that creates confusion for Allen and the OL.
Edit: for clarity Leo Chenal is a redshirt sophomore ILB(mainly)//OLB out of Wisconsin. 6’2” 252-262 and he is on Feldman’s freak list for speed, power, burst, and agility.
Hat tip to
@Super Nomario and Jim R for the brainstorming session. I think for them to get back on track they need an exceptional run defunding ILB/OLB with size and athleticism who is dynamic rushing the passer. You want to replace Hightower you can start with Chenal.
My other thought was this is a deep class for potential round 1 3-4 edge rushers. Let’s say they sign JCJ but if they can’t the other way to make up for a mediocre secondary is with pass rush. If they double dipped and took an edge in round 1 and Chenal later now you’re adding two potentially highly productive pass rushers to Judon and Barmore with KVN, Wise, and Perkins and Wino to a lesser degree giving you a diverse group of pass rusher with 3-4 potentially dominant ones. You could still draft a WR in the third round and other positions of need later in a year with a lot of starting caliber depth but short on stars. I’m not saying that they should do that but I think it’s at least worth thinking about as a path they could take that has some considerable upside. The risk is if those guys can’t produce quickly or bust you are looking at a mediocre rush and not enough talent on the back end. Although if you drafted any defensive position over an other and it busted… well a bust is a bust and if it was a corner in round 1 instead of an edge that gets you at the same spot if the corner busts, mediocre pass rush and lack of talent on the back end.