Everything happens for a reason. While former Georgia Bulldogs star linebacker CJ Allen has been widely seen as a first-round lock in many NFL mock drafts, he was not even close to making the top 32 in the latest two-round mock Matt Miller put forth for ESPN. Miller had the audacity to have Allen stumbling all the way to ... No. 46. He has him replacing Lavonte David on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Before we lose our collective minds over the preposterous nature of Allen going to the Buccaneers at No. 46, that could potentially put him into an advantageous situation moving forward. This is a critical year for Todd Bowles at the helm of Tampa Bay. For as much of a defensive staple as David has been throughout his storied professional career out of Nebraska, he turned 36 years old over a week ago.
Although Miller does have Allen's former Georgia teammate in offensive tackle Monroe Freeling going No. 29 overall to the Los Angeles Rams in his latest mock draft, did we not all think Allen was as close to a first-round lock of anybody coming off last year's team? Yes, he did get hurt a little bit down the stretch. He may play a devalued position. However, Allen was an elite on-field leader and playmaker.
Tampa Bay is a great fit for Allen, but the Buccaneers will likely have to trade up to get him this spring.
CJ Allen falls to Tampa Bay Buccaneers at No. 46 in latest NFL mock draft
It was only a year ago that everybody and their brother knew that the Buccaneers were going to use their mid-to-late first-round pick on Alabama Crimson Tide linebacker Jihaad Campbell. That was as sure of a pick as Cam Ward to the Tennessee Titans No. 1 overall out of Miami. The Buccaneers took former Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egbuka instead. Campbell went to the Philadelphia Eagles...
Right now, the Buccaneers are in a challenging spot as a franchise. The rest of the NFC South seems to be trending up, if you can believe that. Atlanta has an entirely new regime, hoping to overtake the Buccaneers for good. Carolina just won the NFC South with a middling roster and an 8-9 record. New Orleans massively overachieved down the stretch with a first-year staff and a bunch of young pieces.
Ultimately, Allen is so much better off going to a team in the first round than in the second. He only played three years at Georgia, meaning he has more tread on the tires than a four-year player. If he goes to a team in the first round, there is an opportunity for a fifth-year option to be had. If he falls to a decent team fit in Tampa Bay at No. 46, there is no fifth-year option. He will have to star right away.
Allen seems to be a much better fit for a team picking late in the first round like Buffalo than Tampa.