The 2024 NFL Draft will begin on Thursday, April 25. This year’s first round is focused on quarterbacks, wide receivers and offensive linemen. Running backs are expected to be absent from the first round, and the first back could fall all the way to the third.
Braelon Allen is one of the top running backs in this year’s class. He joined the Wisconsin Badgers in 2021 and played 35 games over the past three seasons. Allen ends his collegiate career with 3,494 rushing yards and 35 touchdowns. He didn’t have much of a role in the Badgers’ passing game but will look to add that to his game at the next level.
Braelon Allen: Scouting Report
NFL analyst Lance Zierlein believes that Allen will be a third or fourth-round pick. He compared Allen to former NFL running back Michael Bush.
Allen’s splashy entry into college football had evaluators excited about what the end product might look like, but now there are more questions than answers. Allen has rare size on an imposing frame, and his production is nothing to scoff at. Evaluators will need to rely more heavily on his 2022 tape, where he ran with better decisiveness and instincts in a pro-style running attack. He’s built to be a banger but needs to embrace a consistently physical style, as he lacks the footwork and hips to elude defenders with finesse. Allen will compete for a role as a two-down backup but could bolster his chances for success if he plays at a lighter weight, to improve his quickness.
Mock Draft landing spots
NFL.com’s draft analyst Chad Reuter has Allen falling to the fourth round and going to the New York Giants at No. 107. ESPN’s Jordan Reid agreed that Allen falls in the fourth round but has him going later to the Baltimore Ravens at No. 130. The 33rd Teams’ Ian Valentino is much higher on Allen having him selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at No. 89 in the third round.
Fantasy football implications
Rookie running backs usually have to be a first-round draft pick or prominently featured in their team’s offense to be worth a draft pick in redraft leagues. There is a lot of time before Week 1 of the regular season, but for now, he can remain undrafted.
For dynasty leagues, Allen’s upside is going to vary based on his eventual landing spot. He is likely going to be a mid to late second-round pick in rookie drafts.