Braelon Allen | Wisconsin 6’1”, 235 lbs. Jan 20th, 2004 (20)
Braelon Allen was drafted by the New York Jets, becoming the 11th running back and 134th overall player in the 2024 NFL Draft.
COLLEGE PRODUCTION
Braelon Allen had one of the best freshman campaigns we’ve seen from a running back in recent memory, and he did so at only 17 years old. Allen finished Year 1 at Wisconsin with 1,268 rush yards and 12 touchdowns, averaging 6.8 YPA. After this historic freshman season, Allen was going in the first round of many Devy startup drafts. The hype was through the roof. Unfortunately, the efficiency took a dip in years 2 and 3, averaging just 5.4 YPA. Allen went from being in the conversation of being RB1 in this class a couple short years ago, to going on Day 3 as the RB11 in the 2024 NFL Draft.
FILM
Allen is a bruiser of a back, weighing a whopping 235 pounds. His massive size and physical, downhill running style is somewhat reminiscent of Derrick Henry. However, there are a number of red flags when watching Allen’s film that caused him to fall well outside the Top 100 picks. He lacks some lateral quickness and agility, often appearing to run with stiffness on tape. While Braelon saw his workload in the receiving game increase year over year, he was still not heavily used in this role, combining for just 274 receiving yards in three seasons. He also struggles as a pass protector, often using poor technique or missing his assignments entirely. Allen still has a ton to learn, as he is only 20 years old and an early-declare, so I won’t knock him too much for these shortcomings. And he was recruited to Wisconsin as a defensive player, so his experience as a running back is fairly limited overall.
ATHLETIC TESTING
Braelon Allen opted out of running the 40 at the Combine and UW’s pro day, which is cause for concern. One has to assume he made this decision under the assumption his draft stock would drop if he tested. Braelon did complete the vertical and broad jumps and was not impressive in either department. Again, I think Braelon just has more rigidness about him than most backs in this class, which caps his athleticism to an extent.
DRAFT ANALYSIS
Rapid Reaction to Draft Capital: Below-Average
Rapid Reaction to Landing Spot: Below-Average
Braelon Allen was selected by the New York Jets, becoming the 11th running back and 134th overall player in the 2024 NFL Draft. Many believed Allen had a chance to sneak into Day 2, which would have improved his dynasty value significantly, especially with a good landing spot. That didn’t happen, however. Now, Allen is stuck behind one of the best young RBs in today’s league, Breece Hall. On top of this, the Jets elected to draft a second RB in Isaiah Davis the very next round. Isaiah Davis came from an FCS school in South Dakota State, but he’s built similarly to Allen and was an extremely efficient rusher from an analytical standpoint. Allen will have to compete with Davis and Israel Abanikanda for that handcuff role in New York. The one positive I can say is Allen will get to learn and develop alongside a truly elite running back.
FANTASY INSIGHTS
Braelon Allen’s only fantasy value is contingent at this point, and even if Breece Hall were to suffer an injury, there’s no guarantee Braelon is next in line. He’ll have to earn that spot on the depth chart first. Allen is physically imposing and still incredibly young, so there’s a path to an RB1 role in the future, whether that be with the Jets or elsewhere. You’ll have to be patient for the immediate future, though. Allen is not someone you’ll be able to put in your fantasy lineups.
Braelon Allen is slotting in somewhere around my RB8-10 in this class. At this time, I’d take Brooks, Benson, Wright, Corum, Lloyd, Davis, and Irving over him. I would also consider Audric Estime and Will Shipley over Allen, as they may have a clearer path to potential touches. Braelon Allen is a prospect I would consider in the late-third round of Superflex rookie drafts.
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