Rams Select Clemson TE Davis Allen With No. 175 Pick In NFL Draft

The Los Angeles Rams have selected a potential difference-maker with the No. 175 overall pick in Clemson Tigers tight end Davis Allen

The Los Angeles Rams have been busy on Day 3 of the NFL Draft, making multiple trades and adding picks throughout the day.

And with the No. 175 pick, which was added as part of a deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers just a few selections before, the Rams added another talented player, selecting Clemson Tigers tight end Davis Allen.

Allen should be able to come into Los Angeles and provide immediate depth for the Rams behind star tight end Tyler Higbee. 

In four seasons at Clemson, Allen had 88 catches for 951 yards and 12 touchdowns. In his final season with the Tigers, he had his most productive year, catching 39 passes for 443 yards and five scores despite inconsistent QB play.

You can view the full scouting report for Allen from NFL Draft Bible below:

Allen plays a versatile role for the Tigers. Clemson’s offense lines the former three-star recruit up in the slot, at H-back, in-line, and occasionally at outside wide receiver. The offense frequently sends him in motion to set up run plays as well. Allen is a very consistent skill player. He rarely drops the ball or commits penalties and operates as a security blanket for DJ Uiagalelei. Allen excels at finding openings in zone. He displays quick footwork and does a good job sinking at the top of his stem, which allows him to run crisp routes. 

The Georgia native’s basketball background translates to the field. He dominates in contested catch situations, high-pointing the football and rising above defenders to meet it with soft hands. Allen’s long arms extend his catch radius and help him win as a blocker. He understands and executes his blocks in the running game at a high level, although there’s still room for his pad level and hand placement to improve. Allen is a mobile blocker who takes smart angles to eliminate second-level targets. While he’s not a mauler, Allen displays good pop at the point of contact. He has the strength to seal edge rushers and has a strong understanding of horizontal leverage. 

Unfortunately, Allen lacks high-end physical traits. He’s not sudden or twitchy, and his speed doesn’t threaten defenses vertically. Allen generates limited yards after the catch and doesn’t break many tackles. He doesn’t separate well against man coverage, which leads to his contested catch opportunities. While he sustains blocks and seals defenders, he infrequently moves bodies off the line of scrimmage. Allen occasionally throws shoulders as a blocker rather than squaring up to his target and lacks experience and development in pass protection. 

Luckily, he’s a highly experienced special teams player with over 400 snaps split between the kick return, punt coverage, and field goal units. Allen is a quarterback-friendly pass catcher who will begin his career as a back-of-the-roster player before working into a larger role.

You can follow Matt Galatzan on Twitter @MattGalatzan

Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Rams? Click Here

Want to join in on the discussion? Click here to become a member of the Ram Digest message board community today!

Follow Ram Digest on Twitter and Facebook.

Want even more L.A. Rams news? Check out the SI.com team page here.