Not every draft gem has to come with a first-round hype train or the Power Five hype. Sometimes, the most intriguing names are the ones no one is talking about. And this one’s got himself a nickname to do his marketing.
Curtis Allen’s ‘D-II Derrick Henry’ Tag Does the Job
Staying on the running back discourse during the latest episode of PFSN’s Football Debate Club, host Cam Mellor posed a simple question: which Day 3 running back would you pound the table for in this class?
Anthony Russo had a couple of answers ready. He mentioned Robert Henry Jr. first, but it was his second name that drew attention: Curtis Allen.
“Curtis Allen, D-II, Heisman Award winner, the Harlon Hill Trophy out of Virginia Union. He’s big, they don’t call him D-II Derrick Henry for nothing,” Russo said. “Ran for over 2,400 yards this season. He’s a dog. Give me him on late day three to get in an NFL room.”
That nickname alone, “D-II Derrick Henry,” sets the tone. It speaks to Allen’s size, running style, and downhill presence. At 6-foot-2 and 215 pounds, he fits the mold of a punishing, early-down back who can wear defenses down over the course of a game.
Allen rushed for over 2,386 yards in 2025, leading D-II with 30 total touchdowns in just 12 games.
His breakout season also earned him the Harlon Hill Trophy, making him the first player from Virginia Union, the CIAA, and any HBCU to win Division II’s top individual honor. It capped off a rise that saw him go from a rotational piece to the focal point of an entire offense.
On tape, Allen wins with patience and power. He shows a clear understanding of blocking schemes, allowing lanes to develop before hitting them with force. Once he builds momentum, he becomes difficult to bring down, often running through second-level defenders and consistently generating chunk plays.
There are, of course, questions. The level of competition is obvious. Scouts have also pointed to his upright running style and the need to expand his role in the passing game to become a more complete, three-down option at the next level.
BE AN NFL GM: PFSN’s Ultimate GM Simulator
But that is where the value comes in. On Day 3, teams are not just looking for polished talents. They are looking for prospects who can be forged into real dealbreakers. Allen checks those boxes as a potential early-down hammer with room to grow.
And if Russo is right, the team that takes a chance on him late could be walking away with one of the biggest steals in the draft.
