Jack Allen, C, Michigan State: 2016 NFL Draft Scouting Report
Player Summary
Jack Allen, a 2011 three-star recruit, is a two-time first-team All-American (2014-2015) who started 47 of 48 career games for Michigan State. Voted a captain by teammates for the 2015 season. Missed two games each of the past three seasons with various ailments; including turf toe (2013), ankle (2014) and leg (2015) injuries. Moderate height/weight with a stocky frame and good athletic ability.
Player Information
Class: Redshirt Senior
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 297
Arms: 31-3/4 inches
Games Watched
2015: Alabama, Ohio State, Western Michigan
Strengths
Jack Allen displays very good football intelligence both before and after the snap. Prior to the snap, recognizes defensive alignments and tendencies while making appropriate line calls. After the snap in pass protection, keeps his head on a swivel and knows where the quarterback is at all times.
On this play against Michigan from 2014, Allen begins by helping the right guard with a double team. While engaged, he sees a stunt to his left and makes a last-second block to give his QB a clean passing lane.
Initiates contact with his hands and quickly gets inside the defender’s pads while keeping his head up. Possesses good balance and a strong anchor to maintain leverage in the passing game.
As a run blocker, demonstrates very good athletic ability by exploding off the snap. Utilizes his stature, hand speed and explosion to immediately gain leverage over defensive linemen and create initial push. Very good pull and second-level blocker as a result of impressive quickness and awareness from the center position. Good competitive toughness as he’s aggressive from the snap through the whistle, finishing blocks and displaying a mean streak. Did not commit a penalty in 832 snaps during senior season.
To wrap up his strengths, here’s a look at his touchdown run on Senior Day against Penn State this season.
Weaknesses
Aggressiveness gets the best of Allen at times, leaving him susceptible to double moves off the snap. Struggles to overpower defensive linemen as a result of moderate play strength. This is especially true in the passing game as seen in the play below. Against Baylor’s Andrew Billings, a likely first-round pick this year, Allen simply lacks the functional strength to prevent Billings from forcing him back towards the QB. Billings may not get the sack on the play, but he made an impact by preventing the QB from stepping up in the pocket.
His lack of pure strength shows up in the run game as well. Against interior linemen, he struggles to use his lower body to fuel his blocks and drive the defender off the line of scrimmage. As a result of this, he’s going to be limited to a zone blocking scheme that can mask his moderate size and strength at the next level.
Overall
Overall, Jack Allen is a starting center in a zone blocking scheme who wins with his football IQ and athletic ability. Is not a prospect who has the size or strength to play in a man blocking scheme. He lacks the desirable measureables, but has the smarts and technique to survive as an angle blocker. With much larger centers such as Ryan Kelly (Alabama), Nick Martin (Notre Dame) and Max Tuerk (USC) vying for position on draft boards along with Allen, the Michigan State product may not hear his name called until the third day of the 2016 NFL Draft.