NFL Draft Profile: Austin Allen, Tight End, Nebraska Cornhuskers

NFL Draft profile scouting report for Nebraska TE Austin Allen

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#11
Pos: TE
Ht: 6075
Wt: 253
Hand: 948
Arm: 3358
Wing: 8078
40: 4.83
Vertical: 34
Broad: 1001
3 Cone: 7
Bench: NA
Shuttle: 4.26
DOB: 11/10/1998
Hometown: Aurora , NE
High School: Aurora

 Austin Allen
Nebraska Cornhuskers

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One Liners

Tight end with excellent size, great toughness and below average short area agility. 

Pros

Very big tight end who uses his body to shield off defenders and make contested catches. Allen shows awareness at the sideline to stay in bounds and can adjust for passes behind him. He makes tough catches over the middle despite getting hit hard, holding on through contact. After the catch, he lowers his shoulder and is willing to fight for extra yards. Due to long strides, his speed is solid for his size. Allen aligns in-line, at H-Back and in the slot. He is an efficient down blocker, driving piles with a flat back. After landing his punch in space, he drives smaller opponents. A high effort blocker, Allen actively looks to finish.

Cons

Below average fluidity, short-area agility and change of direction due to his size hamper his ability to separate as a route runner. Allen lacks quick burst and possesses poor acceleration. When driving defenders, he is unable to redirect, allowing them to shed. Against quicker defenders, he struggles to locate and get an efficient angle on them.

Summary

Tight end with excellent size, great toughness and below-average to poor short-area quickness. Allen wins in contested catch situations and blocks with very good effort. He struggles to separate from defenders. Allen projects as a backup tight end who can block in heavy formations and garner red-zone targets.

Background:

Born on November 10th, 1998, Austin Allen attended Aurora High School in Nebraska as a dual-sport player in football and basketball. He played at both tight end and linebacker throughout his high school career due to his physical presence. Allen was injured for most of his senior season, which hampered his production on both sides of the ball. He managed 66 receptions for 775 yards and 13 touchdowns throughout his high school tenure. Allen was the top tight end out of Nebraska in 2017, and multiple colleges were interested in securing his services. He was ranked a three-star prospect by the 247Sports Composite. Allen committed to Nebraska, despite offers from other top colleges such as UCLA, Iowa, Iowa State, and UCF. After a redshirt freshman season, Allen contributed significantly to the Huskers over the next three seasons, though with limited production. He broke out in 2021, racking up 38 receptions for 602 yards and two touchdowns. Those production numbers broke the Nebraska school record for receptions and receiving yards in a single season. Allen was named the Big Ten tight end of the year and first-team All-Big Ten. His performances earned him an invitation to the NFLPA Bowl to showcase his talents against other draft hopefuls. At the NFL Combine, Allen posted the best three-cone, the second-best shuttle time, and the third-best broad jump among all tight ends. Given his athleticism and size profile, Allen is expected to be a late day-three draft selection or priority undrafted free agent.

Grade: 

6.8/7.5