Braelon Allen has emerged as a standout player for the Jets in the early weeks of the NFL season, prompting him to critique the draft process that saw him selected in the fourth round.
In his first three games, Allen has recorded 19 carries for 96 yards, averaging over five yards per carry, and scoring two touchdowns. His powerful running style has consistently overwhelmed defenders.
Following a strong performance in the Jets’ victory over the Patriots on Thursday night, an X user questioned how Allen slipped to the fourth round. Allen, who previously starred at Wisconsin, humorously replied, “Everyone wanted to see me run in my underwear to decide if I was a good football player,” referring to his decision to skip the athletic drills at the scouting combine, including the 40-yard dash and other tests.
Despite accumulating 3,494 rushing yards and 35 touchdowns over three seasons at Wisconsin, Allen’s physical stats in certain drills led to him being drafted as the 134th overall pick, a compensatory selection for the Jets.
During the Thursday night broadcast, announcer Al Michaels noted that Aaron Rodgers had praised Allen in production meetings, citing the rookie’s eagerness to adjust to the NFL.
Jets’ starting running back Breece Hall spoke earlier this week about Allen’s progress in the professional game. Hall observed that while Allen was initially reserved, he has quickly adapted, remarking on Allen’s impressive grasp of the offense. “He’s really smart, understands the offense from a whole standpoint now,” Hall said, emphasizing his pride in Allen’s achievements on the field.
Allen has expressed appreciation for Hall’s mentorship, stating, “You can’t ask for a better situation to come into with a guy like Breece. The success that he had super early in his career was obviously something that I kind of want to follow.”