Name: Braelon Allen

School: Wisconsin

Year: Junior

Position: Running back

Measurables: 6’1”, 235 lbs (Combine measurements)

Combine: Vertical: 32”. Broad: 9’9”. Bench: 26 reps.

Stats:

Courtesy of Sports-Reference.com

General Info:

Braelon Allen’s path to stardom at the University of Wisconsin was a bit unconventional.

After deciding on attending Wisconsin as a four-star recruit as part of the 2022 recruiting class, the Fond du Lac (WI) high school junior reclassified as a 2021 recruit and graduated high school a year early to get a jump on his college career. After rushing for 1,047 yards and 21 touchdowns on 77 carries in his final high school season, Allen was named AP state football player of the year in Wisconsin. The funny thing, though, is that he wasn’t recruited to play running back.

Allen was projected and recruited as a safety as he headed to Wisconsin but made the switch to running back after spring practices while the Badgers were thin at the running back position.

At the start of his freshman season, Allen–just 17-years-old at the time–was listed as fourth on the depth chart at running back, behind the previous season’s leading rusher Jalen Berger, Clemson transfer Chez Mellusi, and Issac Guerendo. He was expected to contribute very little in his freshman season.

Berger lost his starting job before the season and was dismissed from the team in October, Mellusi suffered a season-ending knee injury nine games into the season, and Guerendo had surgery on his leg midway through the season, leaving Allen as the de facto number one running back just ten games into his freshman season. He’s held the starting spot since and the rest, as they say, is history.  

Allen led the Badgers in rushing as a freshman in 2021, carrying 186 times for 1,268 yards (6.8 YPC) and 12 touchdowns and was named second-team all-Big Ten.

Allen led the Badgers in rushing in 2022, carrying 230 times for 1,242 yards (5.4 YPC) and 11 touchdowns. He was named second team all-Big Ten.

Allen had a slight dip in yardage in 2023, playing under a new head coach and in a pass-heavy offensive scheme. He also dealt with a lower left leg injury the second half of the season, missing two games. Allen led the Badgers with 984 yards on 181 carries (5.4 YPC) and 12 touchdowns.

Allen reportedly met with the Packers at the Combine. He didn’t do any running or agility tests at the Combine or at his pro day. He is one of the youngest players in the draft, having just turned 20 in January.

Positional Skills:

Strengths

Strength is one of Allen’s best aspects of his game. Allen can squat just over 600 pounds and can power-clean lift just over 400 pounds–he is built like a tank. Allen is built strong enough to absorb NFL hits and deliver NFL hits. He was a three-down back at Wisconsin and was utilized in any down and distance situation and can handle the load in the pros.

Speaking of his strength, Allen is able to force missed tackles. He forced 145 missed tackles in his career and is especially effective at forcing missed tackles on the second level; he will punish defenders one-on-one in the open field. Opposing defenders cannot bring him down with arm tackles, and with the NFL eliminating the hip-drop tackle, Allen’s value may have gone up. Allen displays great awareness in short-yardage situations; he accounted for 165 first downs and racked up 2,182 yards after contact in three seasons. 

Allen is a strong runner at the point-of-attack and displays excellent patience letting his blocks set up. He’s not super explosive, but will hit a hole hard when he sees it. Has above average cutback ability when finding running lanes and is pretty nimble for a person of his size. He has good long speed in the open field. Has a good feel for zone and gap running schemes, with 311 zone carries and 278 gap carries in his career, per PFF.

Although being a receiver wasn’t asked much of him at Wisconsin, Allen shows good hands out of the backfield. He has a very limited route tree and isn’t ready to take on a slough of routes in the NFL, but will provide a valuable safety net and on screens for an NFL quarterback. Had his most productive year as a receiver in 2023, nabbing 28 receptions. Had just five drops in three seasons. Allen is above average in pass protection and is good at recognizing blitzes.

Production was not an issue for Allen, as he rushed for 2,500 yards and 23 touchdowns his first two seasons. A switch to an “Air-Raid” offense in 2023 saw Allen not utilized like he had been previously at Wisconsin. Couple that with a leg injury, and Allen’s production dipped. Facing many stacked fronts due to inconsistent quarterback play in 2023, Allen still produced 984 yards and 12 touchdowns.

Weaknesses

For as strong as Allen is, he is not very elusive. He had a 99.2 elusive rating in 2023, per PFF, good for 66th in college football. Allen typically does not break many opposing defenders’ ankles in space.  

Allen dealt with fumbling issues at Wisconsin. As a freshman, he fumbled four times. He seemed to turn a corner as a sophomore, fumbling just once. But he fell into old habits as a junior, fumbling four times. Allen tends to carry the ball farther away from his body, likely the culprit of his fumbles. This is something he will need to clean up in the pros.

Allen is above average in pass pro as mentioned earlier. Allen could use some refinement in his technique, though, as he didn’t seem to have much leverage in his blocks. Much of his success is based on his willingness as a bigger player to stand in against collegiate defenders. That won’t work in the NFL. 

Right now, Allen is a one-dimensional back. If he’s touching the ball, he’s likely running it. Wisconsin coaches sprinkled in more passes his way last year in the pass-heavy scheme, but adding a receiving dimension to his game will be a necessity at the next level.

Allen has a lot of miles on his tires, carrying the ball 596 times in three seasons. He played in a run-heavy scheme his first two seasons, and his body has taken quite a beating to this point. 

Fit with the Packers

Allen is built in the mold of AJ Dillon, but not quite as heavy as Dillon. Allen’s running style reminds me a bit of Arian Foster, coupled with the punishing ability of Dillon. But why would the Packers draft a near-AJ Dillon clone?

Well, AJ Dillon’s contract is built with an easy out. In my opinion, AJ Dillon was brought back as an insurance policy for the Packers: a veteran with familiarity within the system and a productive back if Josh Jacobs were to get hurt. Basically, I think Dillon was brought back in case the Packers couldn’t find his replacement in the draft.

That’s not to say Dillon wouldn’t make the roster if the Packers drafted Allen. But I believe there would be a strong competition for the power-back spot between the two men, and with the youth movement happening in Green Bay, would there be room for nearly identical backs on the roster? Likely not. With Gutey’s current track record of younger players, why not go with a guy that won’t turn 21 until after the regular season? I would not be surprised if Dillon were to be cut before the season started, IF the Packers find the right guy to replace him.

Gutey loves players that were productive in college, including players whose production may have dipped in their final collegiate season but still had highly productive previous seasons; Allen had 3,482 yards and 35 touchdowns in his career. Gutey also loves younger players; Allen is one of the youngest in the draft at 20 years old. Allen fits both those criteria.

Allen would provide Green Bay a bruising short-yardage running back to spell Jacobs. With experience as a three-down running back in college, Allen could also be called upon to be the primary ball carrier in case of injury. If he cleans up any glaring weaknesses, Allen could have a productive career as a three-down back or in a two-back system.

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