Could Kaytron Allen become the next great Penn State running back to enter the NFL? In a breakout year, the Nittany Lions top rusher is making a statement ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft and a player who should be high on the radar of the New England Patriots.
Actually, Allen should be on the radar of many NFL teams looking for a running back, but after a 181-yard rushing performance against Michigan State, it’s hard not to have visions of Allen as that power back in the Patriots backfield to complement 2025 NFL Draft second-round pick TreVeyon Henderson.
While it’s been a surprising season for the 9-2 Patriots behind the play of quarterback Drake Maye and coaching of Mike Vrabel, it’s hard to ignore one area of concern for the Patriots which has been a lack of a consistent running game. Even before injuries to Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson’s season-ending ACL injury, the Patriots struggled getting anything going on the ground.
To add to that, they struggled with holding onto the ball, particularly Stevenson who lost three fumbles during a stretch of games in October.
What makes Kaytron Allen a good fit for the New England Patriots
Although the Patriots have seen a flash of stardom out of Henderson, a focus for the 2026 NFL Draft must be at running back. Aside from Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love, there is no other running back having the type of season Allen is having for a Penn State team that has underachieved.
Projected as a late Day 2 or Day 3 pick, Allen is a powerful runner with great vision, durability and patience as a running back. What makes him a middle round pick is his lack of elusiveness, but with Henderson in the mix, the Patriots can more than make up for that.
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With his 5-foot-11, 217-pound flame, Allen has rushed for 917 yards on 163 carries for a 5.6 yards per carry average and has also rushed for 12 touchdowns. More importantly, he does hold onto the ball and is a running back who thrives in short yardage situation.
A nice drive capped off with the TD.#WeAre | @Kaytron_Allen pic.twitter.com/l6GRkGRw6o
— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) November 15, 2025
Allen does have to develop as a pass-catching running back and work on his pass protection, but his powerful style of running and his burst would give Vrabel that workhorse type of back he loves in the power running game.
Another benefit of Allen in the mix is a sustained running game makes Maye, and the Patriots play action game that much more dangerous. With an exclusive back with speed in Henderson and a power runner in Allen, the Patriots running game becomes more versatile. Even if the Patriots target the Penn State Nittany Lions running back, they can still hold on to Stevenson.
Allen’s addition to the mix just gives the team depth and another option if Stevenson’s ball security woes spills into the 2026 NFL season.