Christopher

Allen

Allen (6'4"/242) has star potential but was out for the majority of the season after injuring his foot in the season opener. He warmed up before the Cotton Bowl as well, but did not play in the game. He was seen warming up again ahead of the National Championship, but without cleats unlike most of the other players so there’s a good chance he won’t be playing in this one as well. That being said, if he’s healthy enough to warm up he may be able to play.

Allen (6'4"/242) hasn’t played since fracturing his foot in Alabama’s opening game against Miami and received surgery for the injury. Allen posted a video of himself in the Alabama facilities, and coach Nick Saban said they are working to get him back on the field. He also said that his status for return is still up in the air, but it sounds like there’s a chance for him to play when the injury was thought to be season-ending initially. Allen would be a great weapon to have back, as he racked up 13 TFLs and six sacks for the Crimson Tide last year.

Allen (6'4/242) injured his foot on a second quarter sack of Miami QB D’Eriq King. The redshirt junior, who was taken back to the locker room via medical cart, will undergo surgery at some point this week. HC Nick Saban said on Monday that Allen will “most likely” be out for the remainder of the season. With Allen down, freshman Drew Sanders becomes a player of even greater importance to the Crimson Tide defense. Sanders should be the starter at outside linebacker Saturday when Alabama hosts Mercer, and fellow freshman Dallas Turner should also see an increase in reps.

Allen (6'4/242) looked despondent while being taken back to the locker room via cart during the first half Saturday afternoon, and with good reason. Following the game, HC Nick Saban said that the redshirt junior “may be lost for the season.” If this proves to be the case, 2020 five-star recruit Drew Sanders is the player most likely to fill the void. “We have confidence in Drew,” Saban said, “And we have a couple of other young players that are gonna have to -- you know, Dallas Turner -- and some of the young players we have are gonna have an opportunity to play now at that position, as well.”

Allen (6'4/242) was injured during the second quarter of Saturday’s game and, after being examined in the medical tent, the redshirt junior was taken back to the locker room via cart. If Allen, who missed the 2018 season due to a torn ACL and underwent a second surgery early in 2019, is unable to return, Drew Sanders will fill the void.

The surgery is being called “minor,” but it’s noteworthy -- as if knee surgery isn’t noteworthy, anyway -- because it comes on a player that missed the entire season because of a torn ACL. He’s expected back for the start of spring practices and to be a big part of the Crimson Tide defense in 2019, so hopefully this is just some clean-up that allow the talented linebacker to return to top form.

Scout passes along that Allen has potential as a defensive hybrid due to his “combination of size, speed, and athleticism.” The outlet writes that the 6-foot-5, 234-pounder plays with “a lot of fire.” Tide HC Nick Saban reached into LSU’s backyard to grab the Baton Rouge native, who ranked as Scout’s No. 74 overall prospect in the 2017 cycle.

Allen (6'4/242) appeared in seven games as a freshman, tallying six total tackles and one tackle for loss. The Alabama linebacker rotation will take a hit depth-wise as a result of Allen’s injury, and he’s the second player to suffer a serious knee injury this summer. OLB Terrell Lewis, who appeared in just four games last season due to an arm injury, suffered a torn ACL in his right knee during an offseason workout. Among the remaining backup options at OLB are Ben Davis and Cameron Latu.