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          New York Jets

          Jersey product Josh Allen grew up a Steelers fan, but could be fit for Jets

          Former Kentucky outside linebacker Josh Allen is the winner of the 24th Chuck Bednarik Award for outstanding defensive player of the year. Courtesy of John Hardcastle (Maxwell Football Club)
          • Rich Cimini, ESPN Staff WriterMar 8, 2019, 04:15 PM ET
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              Rich Cimini is a staff writer who covers the New York Jets and the NFL at ESPN. Rich has covered the Jets for over 30 years, joining ESPN in 2010. Rich also hosts the Flight Deck podcast. He previously was a beat writer for the New York Daily News and is a graduate of Syracuse University. You can follow him via Twitter @RichCimini.
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          Josh Allen grew up in Montclair, New Jersey -- 14 miles from the New York Jets' facility, 11 miles from the New York Giants' offices. So, as a kid, did he root for the green or the blue?

          Neither, actually.

          "I grew up a Steelers fan, so I was a little different," the former Kentucky star pass-rusher said Friday in Atlantic City, New Jersey, where he was being honored by the Maxwell Football Club. "I watched the Super Bowl when they played the Seahawks [2006] and just saw all those guys, said, 'Yeah, I love them.' That was my first memory of [the] NFL though, so just stuck with it and I like the color, so I was like, 'I'm a Steelers fan.'"

          Allen won't get a chance to play for his favorite childhood team, who hold the 20th pick in the draft, but there's a decent shot he could wind up with the Jets (No. 3 pick). They covet an edge rusher and Allen is widely regarded as one of the draft's top three players. In fact, he was back in his home state to receive the Chuck Bednarik Award, given to the top defensive player in college.

          The Jets met with Allen last week at the scouting combine, and they probably will meet with him again before the draft, either at his pro day on March 22 or with a visit to Florham Park. Allen said he came away with a good feeling from his first sit-down with the Jets in Indianapolis.

          "It was a good interview," he said. "You know, every other interview was good as well. We just talked a lot of football and it was really good for them to get to know the person I am. I feel like it went really well."

          The Jets won't hold his black-and-gold allegiance against him. He's too good a player and he's a perfect fit as an outside linebacker in their 3-4 scheme.

          "That's what I did all through college," Allen said. "I played 3-4 my whole career, so I'm used to it, but I could play a 4-3 defensive end. [I've] got little techniques. I could be a real help to any team."

          Allen solidified his status at the combine, running the 40-yard dash in 4.63 seconds at 6-foot-5, 263 pounds. Those numbers, coupled with his strong college résumé, should make him a top-5 pick. He had 17 sacks last season, the most in a single season by an SEC player since the NCAA started counting sacks in 2000.

          Maybe the draft will bring him home to New Jersey.