The 2025 season went off the rails for Penn State. A team that opened the year with national title aspirations limped to a 7–6 finish, riding a six-game losing streak that included embarrassing losses to Northwestern and UCLA. One constant bright spot was running back Kaytron Allen, who delivered the best season of his college career.
Allen rushed for 1,303 yards and 15 touchdowns, both career highs. He finished second in the Big Ten in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns. His best performance came in the season finale against Rutgers, where he gashed the defense for 226 yards on just 22 carries. That was not an outlier. Allen posted four additional games with at least 140 rushing yards, consistently carrying the offense when everything else fell apart.
This was not a one-year spike. In 2024, Allen eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards as well, finishing with 1,108 despite starting only five games. His signature performance that season came in the Big Ten Championship Game, where he rushed for 124 yards against Oregon, showing he could produce on a big stage.
NFL projection and skill set breakdown
From a traits standpoint, Allen brings a clear NFL profile. He is a physical, downhill runner with an NFL-ready frame at 5-foot-11, 219 pounds. He runs behind his pads, generates force on contact, and shows strong lower-body balance. That play style led to 792 yards after contact, a number that jumps off the page and confirms what shows up on film.
Allen is also a patient runner. He allows blocks to develop and consistently finds clean lanes inside. Once the crease appears, he has enough burst to get through it decisively, resulting in 17 runs of 15 yards or more this season, according to PFF. Ball security is another plus, as he fumbled only once all year.
"HELLO END ZONE!"
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) September 6, 2025
Kaytron Allen takes it 67 yards to extend the @PennStateFball lead 💥
📺: BTN pic.twitter.com/nG2jR2aAlP
The limitations are real, though. Allen does not have elite physical upside. He is a tight runner with limited hip looseness, which restricts his ability to create in space. He is much more effective as a one-cut, north-south back than an open-field playmaker. Teams that value decisiveness and physicality will like him. Teams hunting for a dynamic, game-breaking runner likely will not.
That same lack of speed and agility shows up in the passing game. Allen is not a matchup problem for linebackers and offers little as a downfield receiving threat as he averaged just 3.8 yards per reception. The flip side is that he is a reliable pass protector who consistently identifies blitzers and holds up in protection, an underrated trait that will keep him on the field at the next level.
Looking ahead, Allen’s draft range will be shaped by the postseason process. The Senior Bowl will be critical. If he can show improved receiving ability and comfort catching the ball downfield, it will help his stock. The other swing factor will be his speed testing. If Allen runs under 4.55 in the 40-yard dash at the Combine or his pro day, he has a clear path to the third or fourth round. If not, teams will likely view him as a solid but limited early-down back rather than a featured option.