When it's time to lock in, Jonathan Allen normally does. He'll feel his competitive juices flowing and his focus sharpen. When battle awaits, the Alabama defensive lineman says, he flourishes by retaining astute awareness of his opponents.
"For me, it's all about being methodical," Allen says. "I know how to apply good strategy. I'll never catch myself in a bad situation. And I take pride in that."
This has nothing to do with football, by the way, but with another of Allen's deep passions: gaming. When his free time allows and his dad and brother are available to log on, Allen often finds his way to his PC, devoting attention to games such as "Battlefield" or "Total War."
Locked and loaded.
"My dad and my brother are really aggressive," Allen says. "I can bait them into traps and get the best of them."
As it turns out, one of the most menacing defensive forces in this year's NFL draft is uniquely wired. That same 6-foot-3, 291-pound beast who terrorized the SEC to the tune of 22{ sacks and 30{ tackles for loss over the last two seasons is also a polite, intellectual 22-year-old who's constantly trying to learn how things work.
His father, Richard, spent his life in the Army, and Allen describes himself as "a history geek," which explains his magnetism to battle games.
Allen's technological curiosities also recently prompted him to assemble and install a comprehensive virtual-reality apparatus at his home. His love of computers, he says, went to new levels in college when he disassembled his computer and changed out his motherboard, graphics cards and video card.
"I love that customization aspect," Allen says, "to know that it's yours. For me, it's a pride thing. You did the research. You put the effort in. I love being able to enjoy a product I created and built."
That pride has now built Allen into one of this draft's most coveted prospects.
