With the No. 134 overall pick in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, the New York Jets drafted running back Braelon Allen. The rookie has made an immediate impact in New York’s offense and he’s looking like a steal. Let’s revisit Allen’s collegiate career and path to the NFL.
Where Did Braelon Allen’s Football Career Start?
Allen attended Fond du Lac High School in Wisconsin. A two-way player, he played both linebacker and running back. In his final year at high school, he compiled 1,047 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns in just seven games.
Allen was a four-star recruit but not as a running back. Interestingly, college programs wanted him to play defense, likely at linebacker. He received only five offers, but that was largely because he committed to Wisconsin at just 16 years old.
Allen graduated high school a year early and reclassified to the 2021 recruiting class, which allowed him to suit up for the Badgers as a 17-year-old true freshman.
Revisiting Allen’s College Career
As a true freshman at Wisconsin, Allen started 12 games. Despite being the youngest player on the field at 17 years old, he totaled 1,268 yards and 12 touchdowns on 186 carries, averaging almost seven yards per attempt. Those numbers would be impressive for any player, but they are even more ridiculous when you consider that Allen barely played over the first few weeks of the season.
It wasn’t until the Badgers started 1-3 that they started utilizing Allen more. Allen didn’t see more than seven carries in a game until Week 4. As the season progressed, Allen just kept getting opportunity after opportunity, and he made the most of each one A total of four running backs left the team. Midway through the season, his backfield-mate, Chez Mellusi, went down for the season with an injury. Allen was the last man standing.
After barely being used early in the campaign, Allen rushed for over 100 yards in each of the next seven games, including a 228-yard, three-touchdown performance that ended up being the best of his collegiate career.
Braelon Allen makes rushing look easy 🦡 #CollegeFootball | @BadgerFootball
— College Football Network (@CFN365)
In 2022, as a sophomore, he ran for 1,242 yards and 11 touchdowns on 230 carries but saw his yards per carry drop from 6.8 to 5.4 in his sophomore season.
While his junior campaign in 2023 was less prolific since he missed time due to injuries, he still put up solid numbers, totaling 984 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns on 181 carries.
After just three years with the Badgers, Allen already ranked ninth all-time on Wisconsin’s career rushing yardage list among former Badger greats like Jonathan Taylor, Montee Ball, Melvin Gordon, and Ron Dayne. Allen ran for over 100 yards in 20 of his 35 collegiate games.
Allen chose to forgo his senior season and declare for the 2024 NFL Draft, and the Jets ultimately selected him with the No. 134 overall pick in the fourth round.
