Bad news: Jets’ Braelon Allen Points out Blame on the coach for Surprising Draft Fall
The same question has been circulating: how in the world did Braelon Allen lose at the end of the fourth round? On social media, the gifted rookie for the New York Jets provided a forceful response to that query. “Everyone was interested in watching me play football in my underpants to determine my skill level,” Allen said in response to a fan’s inquiry over his unexpected draft drop.
https://x.com/BraelonAllen/status/1837151950757843410?t=4pL_dcSTwBf4SW8t1lnveg&s=09
The Scouts’ Big Questions Regarding Allen was selected with the 134th overall pick in the fourth round of the draft in April.
He was chosen as the No. 10 running back. By blaming his stock decline in the draft on the NFL Combine, Allen was subtly mocking the event. He only participated in three events: bench press, broad jump, and vertical jump. At 32 inches, Allen had the third-worst vertical of any running back in Indianapolis. His 9’9″ broad jump tied for the fourth poorest among the running backs in Indianapolis. Allen performed the second-most reps (26) at 225 pounds in the bench press, which was not surprising given his position.
The former standout athlete from Wisconsin was praised for having “unique size on an imposing physique.” His listed height is 6 feet 1 inch, and his weight is 235 pounds. Still, NFL draft expert Lance Zierlein stated that after his college career ended, scouts had “more questions than answers.” “Typical lengthy speed.” Not the type to constantly break away from the group. Able to intercept simple passes, but [the] route tree is essentially restricted to simple checkpoints. Not a dangerous threat to receive. Pass protector that is not up to par. The Scouting Department of Bleacher Report noted prior to the draft, “Technique and base are missing, but eyes and willingness are functioning.”
Remarkably, in his media remarks, head coach Robert Saleh highlighted all of those critiques as positive aspects. The perception of beauty varies among individuals. With the Jets, Allen is quieting the naysayers and doubters during his rookie season. After just three weeks of play, Allen has already made a lot of noise in the league despite his humble beginnings. Allen played very little in the first week, with just one carry for eight yards against the San Francisco 49ers. After realizing their error, the Jets rewrote the script for their game against the Tennessee Titans in Week 2.
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