Braelon Allen, RB Wisconsin: 2024 NFL Draft Profile

Allen was a four-star recruit from Fond du Lac High School in Fond du Lac, Wis. in the class of 2021

Wisconsin running back Braelon Allen has rare footwork for a player his size, but he battles through some physical limitations. Allen projects as a day two pick in the 2024 NFL Draft if he can author a productive junior season.

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Braelon Allen, RB Wisconsin: 2024 NFL Draft Profile

Classification: Junior running back from Fond du Lac, Wis.

Background: Allen was a four-star recruit from Fond du Lac High School in Fond du Lac, Wis. in the class of 2021. He was the No. 227 recruit according to 247Sports, No. 135 for Rivals, and No. 148 for On3.com. ESPN ranked him 223rd in the nation with an 83 grade out of 100. Allen was originally a member of the 2022 recruiting class, but he reclassified to join the Badgers earlier. As a high school sophomore, he carried the ball 76 times for 621 yards and six touchdowns. Allen also caught 11 passes for 105 yards and averaged 29.1 yards per kick return on ten attempts. On defense as a sophomore, he amassed 48 tackles, including six for loss, four sacks, and three interceptions. Allen was a Second Team Sophomore All-American for MaxPreps. He earned All-State selections as a running back and safety in 2021 from the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association (WFCA). That year, he ran for 1,039 yards on 71 carries in seven games. He finished the year with 23 total touchdowns and 135 receiving yards. Allen participated in a national combine in Jan. 2021. He posted a 5.1 40-yard dash, a five-second shuttle, and a 7.8 three-cone. Allen jumped ten feet in the broad and 30 inches in the vertical. His wingspan measured 76 inches.

Injuries & Off-Field: Missed 2021 Notre Dame game, missed 2022 Minnesota game, fought through shoulder and ankle injuries in 2022, missed some time in the 2023 spring

Awards: 2021 Second Team All-Big Ten, 2021 Walter Camp Freshman All-American, 2021 Las Vegas Bowl MVP, 2022 Second Team All-Big Ten, 2022 Guaranteed Rate Bowl Offensive MVP

Pros: Age, cut down on fumbles in 2022, linebacker build at running back, presses close to his line, flashes of patient running, battled through many loaded boxes, lowers his shoulder to meet defenders in the hole, leg drive to move the pile, high tackle attempts bounce off him, defensive backs go low and slip off tackle attempts, drags tacklers for extra yards, finishes runs falling forward, footwork is rare at his size, quick feet, solid jump cuts for his size, sidesteps and jump cuts to make defenders miss, subtle changes of direction in the open field, plus vision to find cutback lanes, stiff arm, spin move, coverts power to speed, long speed is enough to break big plays, broke a 75-yard touchdown vs. Ohio State (2022), powerful build to help in pass pro, doesn’t mind loading and delivering powerful pops in pass pro

Cons: Size and weight limit agility and twitch, possible short strider, burst is average, burst doesn’t carry him to the third level consistently, lacks the speed to bounce runs outside consistently, chased down from behind, doesn’t squeeze through tight gaps, doesn’t go full throttle unless he sees a runway, stopped by early contact, contact balance doesn’t always live up to his size, looked more dynamic, sudden, and resistant to tackles in 2021, not used in the receiving game in his first two seasons, limited route tree with below-average route running, poor blocking angles in pass pro, lunges into blocks, doesn’t sustain blocks

Overview: Allen is a 19-year-old running back built like a linebacker. He is a rare athlete at his size, pairing the power you’d expect from a larger running back with the footwork and cutting ability of a player 20 lbs. lighter than him. Allen presses close to his line on runs and has some flashes of patiently waiting for holes to develop. He fearlessly faced loaded boxes in 2022 because of Wisconsin’s scheme and offensive limitations. Allen lowers his shoulder to meet defenders in the hole and uses his leg drive to push the pile. The Wisconsin native finishes runs falling forward. High tackle attempts bounce off him, and defensive backs who try to wrap him up low slide off. Allen also drags smaller defenders for extra yards. The junior’s poised and quick footwork pops. He executes effective jump cuts, side steps, and subtle changes of direction to make defenders miss. The All-Big Ten selection’s vision reveals cutback lanes. He uses a stiff arm and spin move. Allen’s size and weight limit his agility and twitch. His burst is average, and he’s a short strider. The former four-star recruit lacks the speed to bounce runs outside consistently and is chased down from behind. However, he converts his power to speed and showcases enough long speed to generate big plays, such as the 75-yard touchdown he broke against Ohio State (2022). Allen doesn’t squeeze through tight gaps and often doesn’t push the pedal to the floor until he sees a runway. Early contact in the play frequently brings down the star back. His contact balance doesn’t always live up to his size. Allen looked more dynamic, sudden, and resistant to tackles in 2021 than 2022. Hopefully, he will recapture some of that form in 2023. He cut down on his fumbles from his freshman to sophomore seasons. The Badgers used him as the quarterback in the wildcat, which led to Allen completing two of three passes for 33 yards and a touchdown. Wisconsin didn’t use him much in the receiving game over his first two seasons. His route running and route tree are not reliable. Allen has the size and will to operate in pass protection, but he takes poor angles to blocks, fails to sustain his assignments, and misses when lunging into blocks. He lands some big hits in pass protection but still needs to refine his technique and consistency. Allen appeared on Bruce Feldman’s Freaks List for The Athletic. According to Feldman, Allen power-cleans 406 lbs. and runs a 1.49-second ten-yard split. He benches 365 lbs.

Overall, Allen’s footwork and cuts are rare for a back with his level of power, but he still battles some limitations caused by his size and build. Allen will be an early-down player who could become an every down workhorse if he refines his technique in pass protection.

Role & Scheme Fit: Early down back in an inside zone or gap scheme

Round Projection: Late Second Round

Size: 6'2", 245 lbs. (Unofficial)

Submitted: 09-09-23