SEC INSIDER

Alabama DE Allen adds Lombardi to trophy collection

Lindyssports.com Staff

February 11, 2017 at 7:25 pm.

Sep 10, 2016; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide defensive lineman Jonathan Allen (93) puts the pressure on Western Kentucky Hilltoppers quarterback Mike White (14)  at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Photo Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

Sep 10, 2016; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide defensive lineman Jonathan Allen (93) puts the pressure on Western Kentucky Hilltoppers quarterback Mike White (14) at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Photo Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports

Alabama defensive end Jonathan Allen capped his collection of college football awards Saturday by being named winner of the Rotary Lombardi Award, the Rotary Club of Houston announced.

Allen was selected over three other finalists — Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Lamar Jackson of Louisville, defensive end Myles Garrett of Texas A&M and linebacker/returner Jabrill Peppers of Michigan.

“I was just in shock,” Allen said after being named the winner. “Whenever you receive an award of this magnitude, it’s obviously a blessing.”

The award is Allen’s fourth of the campaign. He also won the Bronko Nagurski and Chuck Bednarik awards as the nation’s top defensive player and the Ted Hendricks Award as the nation’s best defensive end.

Allen, expected to be one of the top picks in the 2017 NFL draft, had 69 tackles and 10 sacks in 2016. He also returned two fumbles for touchdowns and finished seventh in the Heisman balloting.

Allen joins Cornelius Bennett (1986) as the only Alabama players to win the Lombardi Award.

The Lombardi Award was first given out in 1970 and has traditionally been awarded to an offensive or defensive lineman. It was expanded this season to include all positions with the mandate being that it goes to a player who best demonstrates outstanding performance while meeting the standards of former Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi’s brand of leadership.

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