Austin Allen NFL Draft Prospect Profile and Scouting Report

NFL Prospect Profile: Austin Allen, TE, Nebraska

Name: Austin Allen

School: Nebraska

Year: rSr

Position: Tight End

Measurables: 6’7 5/8th 253

 

Stats: 

 

General Info:

His father was a walk-on at Nebraska before transferring. Austin attended Aurora High School in Aurora, Nebraska. He was the top prospect in the state. He played both offense and defense. Allen also played on his high school basketball team and averaged 15 points a game as a junior. Allen redshirted his first season at Nebraska to add size and strength, he was only 215 coming in. As a redshirt freshman he played in all 12 games catching 2 passes for 54 yards. As a redshirt Sophomore he again played in every game, but started five games. He had seven catches for 83 yards on the season for a Nebraska team that does not throw the ball a lot. For his Junior season he played in all eight games starting seven. He had a big jump in production with 18 receptions for 236 yards averaging 13.1 yards a catch. For his final season in Nebraska Allen broke records. He posted 38 receptions, 602 yards, and 2 touchdowns. He broke the record for most catches and yards by a tight end in Nebraska history. He averaged 15.8 yards a catch. He was a team captain in 2021. He gave up just one sack and three pressures in his career. He was invited to the NFLPA Bowl.

 

Positional Skills:

Strengths

Allen is a big man at almost 6’8 with good size and length (33 5/8”). He presents a big target for the quarterback. Despite his 4.83 40 at the combine he plays faster than his time. For a 6’8 guy is very explosive and agile. Due to his size, strength, wingspan and basketball background he is a great red zone threat. He has positional versatility having lined up at tight end, in the slot, as an h-back, and even out wide like a receiver. He can take a hit and still get YAC due to his size and strength. Despite playing in Nebraska’s offense he shows good strong hands and extends his arms for the ball and high points it. When he can get his arms extended he is a tough blocker to beat. He has no fear going over the middle even when he knows there is a defender lurking. On film he seems to have a good eye for soft spots in zones. He is solid in pass pro and keeps his head on a swivel and will help his offensive line out. With the ball in his hand he will lower his shoulder into the defender. Allen does a good job of working the seam, using his size and length. Once he has the ball he immediately turns up the field with no wasted motion. He seems on film to be quicker out of a three-point stance.

 

Weaknesses

While he plays faster than his 40 speed he’s not going to be that seems stretching flying down the field type of tight end. Allen doesn’t have the experience or stats in the passing game that a lot of tight ends do. Even though he is over 250 pounds he doesn’t block with the power you would expect. His routes are not crisp; they usually are rounded. Allen shows average explosiveness off the snap. He could improve his sustain when blocking, his blocks start out well he just needs to do a better job of sustaining them. The former Cornhusker does take a few steps to get going, he is not an instant accelerator. While he can get some YAC he’s not a “YAC monster”. Due to his size he can get high coming out of his stance. He could stand to add more strength to his lower body. His feet also stop when blocking at times, he needs to keep them moving. Allen also needs to keep his head up when blocking, he ducks at times causing him to lose balance. Also needs to do a better job of exploding through his hips when blocking. Aiming points need a little work as well.

 

Fit with the Packers:

He would be a great fit with the Packers. He fits their mold of tight end, he is solid all around and can do a bit of everything. He has a similar skill set to someone already on the Packers. Allen could develop into a young Marcedes Lewis he has similar size, athleticism, and skills. Marcedes would be the perfect veteran for him to learn behind for a year. Part of his routes not being crisp is due to the offense he played in and very basic passing game. The upside is there for him to be a very good all-around tight end. While he won’t be a seem stretch due to his average speed, he can still be used in this way and help stretch out teams in cover 2. He has also shown flashes of being a really good run blocker, there are just minor technique things that need to be ironed out, but he has shown to already be a solid pass protector. He just needs to work on the more technical aspects of the passing game and some minor improvements as a run blocker.

 

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Comments (18)

Fan-Friendly This filter will hide comments which have ratio of 5 to 1 down-vote to up-vote.
stockholder's picture

April 13, 2022 at 07:29 pm

Do we have room?

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jannes bjornson's picture

April 14, 2022 at 10:25 am

They need to bring in two TEs from this draft and he is way down the list.

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BirdDogUni's picture

April 13, 2022 at 07:50 pm

Could you imagine Marcedes Lewis, Jelani Woods, and Allen Austin all on the field at the same time on a two point conversion? Think we win that jump ball 90 percent of the time.

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LLCHESTY's picture

April 14, 2022 at 12:20 am

I just don't see how a dude that tall can get it done blocking inline. I don't even like OTs over 6'-6" usually! Jonathon Ogden was a big mistake on my part, I think he was 6'-8" but he had that weird Reggie White type athletic ability.

But Marcedes is almost 6'-7" and I'm sure his knees don't flex as much as they used to and he still gets it done just fine. Just hearing about how much the other players look up to him I think I'd like to see him get a ring as much as any other player.

I'd really like to see the Packers come away with Jelanie Woods and Velus Jones but I have the feeling they'll both be taken around the same time. I'd be ok with Kolar if they miss out on Woods and I also think Ruckert will last longer than he should because of his injury.

This is a really freaky year for good inline blocking TEs and I hope the Packers end up with one. I'd like to see them come away with a really good move TE too but it's slim pickings this year, which is funny because it's usually the opposite.

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ricky's picture

April 13, 2022 at 10:16 pm

Sounds like Richard Rodgers. He'll catch the ball, and then get tackled immediately. Not fast enough or elusive enough to get big gains, he's that "relief valve" when the QB is under pressure. Decent, marginal player that will stick around the league for a few years.

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LLCHESTY's picture

April 14, 2022 at 12:36 am

Not elusive enough??

Dude is 6'-7¹/²" and had a 7 flat 3-cone! Do you know how unusual that is? Do you know how many Edge guys and WRs that didn't run the 3-cone this year because they're afraid it will lower their draft stock that would kill for a 7 second 3-cone? Sounds like you decided to label him without watching a single thing he did.

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Thegreatreynoldo's picture

April 14, 2022 at 02:41 am

Allen is probably draftable or at least a preferred UDFA.

However, I have seen two sites list his bench press at 8. Normally, I'd say that won't cut it in the NFL: after all, I didn't like Ferguson's 13 reps. I suppose his arm length (33 and 5/8ths) is a factor, but single digits is a little daunting.

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LLCHESTY's picture

April 14, 2022 at 06:58 am

Ugh. I lifted weights in JC with a guy that competed in body building contests. One time, and I was about 240 at the time I benched 225 16 times at the end of our bench workout. This was in 1987. Everybody used the Nebraska workout back then. It was all percentages that went off your max lift and in 5 weeks you could do your max twice. I haven't touched a universal bar in 20 years now. Dumbbell benches are so much better for your core. But 95 lb dumbbells are a pain in the butt. The benching part is easy, putting them down at the end of a workout gets interesting. But the last time i toyed with weight as like that to was 2018. Now I use cable weights and it isn't close to being to being the same.

Side note, my arms are probably 6" inches shorter that Allen's. But 8? That just seems weird.

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Leatherhead's picture

April 14, 2022 at 08:15 am

8 isn't good. I get that the bench press kind of discriminates against people with longer arms, and at 6'7", that probably includes him. But 8 would give me pause. This is not a game for weaklings, regardless of position.

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greengold's picture

April 13, 2022 at 10:32 pm

Magic 8-Ball says: UDFA

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LLCHESTY's picture

April 14, 2022 at 12:27 am

My magic 8 ball says you're wrong. This dude is not a lumbering Frankenstein.

https://twitter.com/alexkatson/status/1499584967650676739?t=oQbP_XQt-Efg...

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greengold's picture

April 14, 2022 at 07:43 am

Not a slam, LLCHESTY. Just can’t find any draft resources saying otherwise.

Good athlete lacking some strength with only 8 reps, but able to turn a 7.0 3-Cone. Won 8 of 11 contested catches over 2 years. Kudos to the DBs who were able to jump high enough to contest them.

Hands 9.5 and arms 33.1 seem disproportionate for 6-8. 4.83 40 time. Like most players with similar length, they take a runway to get up to speed.

38 receptions for 602 yds sets Nebraska record for most yds by TE in school history. 15.8 YPC. Just 2 TD?

I prefer TE/Hybrid Chig Okonkwo who is 6-3 250, but blocks like the tough SOB that he is, and catches 74% of Targets. Arms just 1/4” shorter than Allen’s. Okonkwo is arguably the best blocker in the entire TE class.

I think of Chig as more of a bigger Deebo Samuels with nearly the same speed. Same TOUGH playing style, and the kid can do anything. All the Jet stuff Matt LaFleur isn’t famous for…

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Leatherhead's picture

April 14, 2022 at 08:26 am

I would like to agree with Chesty, but it looks to me like you are probably more correct on this, greengold. He looks like a 7th round/UDFA kind of guy

We want to add a TE. We want him to be a factor in the passing game. But blocking has to come first. IF Okonkwo is the best blocker in the class, we should take a much closer look at him.

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greengold's picture

April 14, 2022 at 09:33 am

LH, sometimes it takes a few swings. Deguara, I really hope to see him take off this season, but if not, here's Chig Okonkwo. The guy is legit, and one helluva receiver too catching 74%. 2nd fastest TE in the draft. I don't even really look at him as a TE. Rather, a dynamite football player anywhere.

Couldn't be more scheme perfect.

Watch his film and tell me you don't see Deebo or Mecole... just a total baller & a TOUGH, very real weapon on O. Play speed appears about as fast as both, but way bigger. More punishing as a blocker. He's good blocking in line too.

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LLCHESTY's picture

April 14, 2022 at 11:44 pm

I wasn't saying I expect him to go in the 4th round or anything, just that I'd be surprised if he wasn't drafted at all. Late 6th or 7th I think.

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LLCHESTY's picture

April 14, 2022 at 12:32 am

BTW he had an 8.83 RAS. I bet half the good PFs in the NBA couldn't do that.

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BirdDogUni's picture

April 14, 2022 at 11:27 am

Btw - As you pointed out. Strength is something we can work on. NFL weight training, if he has any work ethic at all can get him up to speed in a year or two. Not only drafting what he is today, but what he can become. Pair him with Marcedes and he'll learn how to be a Pro TE really quick.

I like Austin Allen, and I don't care if he's one of our 7th round picks or even 5th round pick. If we could bring him in as an UDFA, that would be a huge win IMO.

Would love to come away with Jelani Woods and Austin Allen. (Or Woods and the kid Turner from Nevada.)

Or worst case scenario, Turner and Austin. Draft and Develop. I'm all for it.

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jannes bjornson's picture

April 14, 2022 at 12:35 pm

I thought Nebraska was the weight-training epicenter?

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