Name: Antonio Allen
Ideal Position: Strong Safety/Run Supporting Nickelback
Measurements: 6 foot 2 inches 202 lbs.
School: South Carolina
-Allen plays smart, while still playing aggressively. Instead of jumping into the pile when the ball carrier is touched he waits to see if the player makes it out he makes sure to cut out their legs from under them
-His position in the Gamecock’s defense is basically what Polamalu plays in Pittsburg. He is not as rangy as his Steelers counterpart, but he is similar in run support and vision
-Takes great angles to the ball when the RB or WR tries to stretch a play out. Also on screens and other plays behind the line of scrimmage he extends his arms against blockers and does a good job of making the RB make a cut, reading that cut, and making the tackle.
-He is never going to be ball-hawk but he will make the occasional interception if a QB looks down a receiver and tries to force one in. His top end speed is O.K. he needs to go to a system where man coverage is not the go to strategy.
-Could be used as a situational OLB in a 3-4 defense to confuse opposing quarterbacks at the next level. Has the pass rushing skills to blitz or the run support skills to handle most tight ends.
-Generally makes good decisions and reads when dealing with PA and QB read plays. Does well to wait until receivers are on him (he typically plays five yards off) to decide whether to jam or anchor them if it’s a delayed run play.
-Can tackle bigger backs with ease, does a good job wrapping people up around the hips, and when he can’t do that he hits them in the thighs. May get hurtled.
-While he has a lot of positives, he dealt with a hamstring issue last year, and he has low INT numbers, which could hurt his stock. Since he is not a complete safety, he will probably fall to the 4-5 round. He needs to find a home in a 3-4 defense if he wants to be a great starter, but could be a solid starter in a 4-3. Possible destinations: Colts, Vikings, Panthers, Jaguars, Cowboys, Bucs, Jets, Titans, Patriots, Ravens, Steelers, Packers.
About Will Lomas
