Jonathan Allen has left his mark at every stop in his football career.

His destructive ways at Stone Bridge High School gained him a 5-star rating and a nickname like “the Hulk.” At Alabama, Allen transition from linebacker to the defensive line and soon became one of the best all-around players in the trenches.

Now, Allen is hoping to make the same type of impact in the NFL. When the Washington Redskins drafted Allen with the 17th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, it allowed the former Virginia Gatorade Player of the Year an opportunity to build that legacy back home. While the organization, and its fans, are excited to see what their new star can do, they are taking a measured approach.

“These rookies, we’re trying to just get them baby steps,” Redskins coach Jay Gruden said, according to ESPN’s John Keim. “We don’t want to just throw them out in the fire,”

During spring workouts, Allen reportedly participated with the third-team unit, something that isn’t expected to continue for long. For now, though, Allen must learn about life as a professional football player. Although he was considered the quiet leader – the eye in the middle of a Crimson hurricane – the NFL will provide a steep learning curve for the Redskins’ rookie.

The experience he gained at Alabama is one reason the coaching staff is optimistic that Allen will be able to get up to speed quickly. His floor was considered higher than most in this year’s draft, and it’s why many believe he can make an impact in his first year.

“He’s going to progress at a fast rate. You can see the talent that he has. He’s just going to get better and better,” Gruden said. “Let’s get his feet wet a little bit, and then we’ll throw him in there. But he’s doing a great job.”