Alabama vs Clemson: 5 key matchups in National Championship Game
By John Buhler
2. Clemson LT Mitch Hyatt vs. Alabama DE Jonathan Allen
The best player in the 2016 National Championship has to be Alabama senior defensive end Jonathan Allen. He is one of two players entering the 2017 NFL Draft that is a lock to go in the top-five, along with Texas A&M Aggies junior defensive end Myles Garrett.
Allen to the Chicago Bears at No. 3 sounds pretty good if Chicago doesn’t opt to draft a franchise quarterback with its first round selection. Undoubtedly the best player in the SEC this season, Allen eviscerates opposing backfield as the anchor of the historically dominant Alabama pass rush.
His primary adversary in the national championship is none other than Clemson sophomore left tackle Mitch Hyatt. Hyatt is no slouch either, he was a blue-chip tackle prospect coming out of high school in Georgia. He is a future first-round talent playing in Dabo Swinney’s pro-style offense in Clemson.
Will Allen beat Hyatt? Certainly, but this is a great opportunity for the Clemson left tackle to get his name out there heading into his junior season in 2017. He will not face a player as dynamic at defensive end quite like Allen at any point in college.
Hyatt won’t stop Allen, but he can definitely slow him down. Take the matchup on the side of the ball for both teams between Robinson and Bryant, multiply that by 10, and this is the level of hype surrounding this battle between Hyatt and Allen on Monday night.