Braelon Allen is a college football running back who plays for the Wisconsin Badgers in the Big Ten Conference. He is one of the most talented and exciting players in the nation, leading the Badgers to two consecutive Big Ten West division titles and Rose Bowl appearances.
But is Braelon Allen eligible for the NFL Draft, and what are his chances of becoming a high pick?
When Is Braelon Allen Draft-Eligible?
According to the league’s eligibility rules, players must be at least three years removed from high school graduation to enter the NFL Draft. Allen graduated from Fond du Lac High School in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, in December 2020. That means he will be eligible for the 2024 NFL draft, which will take place in April 2024.
Allen must declare his intention to enter the draft by mid-January 2024. He will also have to apply for early entry and receive approval from the NFL’s College Advisory Committee, which evaluates underclassmen’s draft potential and gives them feedback on their projected round.
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If Allen decides to enter the 2024 draft, he will likely be one of his class’s top running back prospects. He has all the physical tools and intangibles that NFL teams look for in a franchise running back.
He has a powerful frame, a fast burst, a high football IQ, and a competitive spirit. He can run through tackles and has some speed to break away from defenders. We’d like to see some improvement when catching passes and blocking blitzers.
Allen’s Scouting Report
Check out Allen’s full scouting report here.
Strengths
- Has elite overall size, and will be just 20 years old as an NFL rookie.
- Can easily absorb and bounce off solo hits with his tightly-packed midsection.
- High-level goal-line back with his size and mass, and can plow through the trenches.
- For his size, has great long-track accelerative capacity, and can be difficult to slow.
- Flashes the necessary foot speed to snap inside power run creases and dart upfield.
- He can quickly reset his feet and sustain leg churns following contact with his center of gravity.
- Has the grating play strength and contact balance to fight through successive tackles.
- Can sift through congested areas and carve his way into space like an icebreaker.
- Actively uses his length and high-end play strength to pry past occluding defenders.
- Has good long speed once he hits open space and can extend long runs.
- Has enough lateral agility to off-set solo defenders in space with gallop-steps.
- Flashes solid vision on inside zone runs and can adjust his tracking angle to follow lanes.
- Has shown he can quickly recognize backside lanes on counter runs off the exchange.
- On occasion, shows he can extend beyond his frame for high passes.
- Size and play strength naturally translate on pass-blocking reps.
Weaknesses
- Has noticeable hip stiffness and isn’t a free-flowing or fluid lateral mover.
- Doesn’t have the lateral freedom or creative instincts to dart around early contact.
- Hip stiffness limits the angles Allen can cut and bend while keeping his stride.
- Doesn’t quite have the swivel freedom to redirect at 90-degree angles to evade.
- Lacks elite initial burst and explosiveness, and works in congestion out of necessity.
- Strides and short-area movements are not quick, diluting adaptability under duress.
- Full-field vision is questionable, as he sometimes misses wide-open lanes outside.
- Frequently passes up opportunities to bounce to the boundary and utilize space.
- Can be too quick to decelerate and hesitate when faced with congestion.
- Sometimes defers to congestion and fails to adapt when initial interior lanes close.
- Hip stiffness limits maximum stride length and governs his long speed below elite levels.
- Can maintain discipline with blocking footwork to increase recovery freedom versus blitz.
- Sometimes overshoots rushers when blocking on the move, and keeps his hands too wide.
- Lacks great receiving instincts with his hands, and stiffness limits route running upside.