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— Rare build for the position. Massive frame that can withstand a heavy workload.
— Great strength and balance. Regularly bounces off defenders and keeps his feet.
— Above-average vision and decisiveness. No-nonsense runner who won’t waste plays.
— Above-average flexibility for someone of his size. Flashes the ability to weave rather gracefully in space.
— Functional hands as a pass-catcher. Can be used as a reliable checkdown option.
— Average long speed. Not someone who consistently separates from the pack.
— Poor stop/start ability, especially behind the line of scrimmage. Can lead to plays stalling out immediately.
— Can catch easy passes, but route tree is pretty limited to basic checkdowns. Not a serious receiving threat.
— Below-average pass protector. Eyes and willingness are functional, but technique and base are lacking.
— 11 G, 181 ATT, 984 YDS (5.4 AVG), 12 TD; 28 REC, 132 YDS
— Four-star LB recruit in 2021 class, per 247Sports
— Initially set to be a class of 2022 recruit, but reclassified to 2021
— Played both LB and RB in high school, but converted fully to RB at Wisconsin
— 2021, 2022 and 2023 second-team All-Big Ten
Braelon Allen is a tank of a running back, for better and for worse.
Allen rocks a rare build at 6’2″ and 245 pounds, and he gets the most out of that size and strength. He plays with a wide base and impressive balance, allowing him to stay on his feet through all kinds of tackle attempts. He also has the power in his legs to consistently push the pile and fall forward through contact to pick up those extra bits of hidden yardage.
Allen fully understands who he is as a runner as well. You rarely see him dance around or look to bounce plays. He’s a no-nonsense runner who is decisive and plays behind his pads between the tackles.
With that said, Allen does have flashes of graceful movement in space. He needs to get going a little bit first before he can access it, but once he does, Allen has some nice moments with regards to changing direction for a back his size.
Still, most of Allen’s drawbacks are in the athletic department. He does not have home run speed, for one. He isn’t a plodder who gets caught right away, to be fair, but he won’t be making many long house calls. Additionally, Allen’s stop/start ability is nonexistent. He is not an explosive mover, which most often hurts him when he’s trying to solve problems behind the line of scrimmage.
On passing downs, Allen is below-average overall. He has decent hands and can be a nice checkdown option, but he doesn’t offer any dynamic pass-catching traits. Allen is also a lackluster pass-blocker right now thanks to inconsistent technique and a poor base.
Allen may not have the explosive potential or passing-down skills to be a featured No. 1 back. However, his size, strength and steady rushing style make him a great candidate to be part of a two-headed backfield if paired with a quicker, more explosive back.
GRADE: 7.0 (High-Level Backup/Potential Starter — 3rd Round)
PRO COMPARISON: AJ Dillon
