Ben Larimore
April 13, 2024 12:00 pm CT
The Cowboys are going to the running back well at some point on draft weekend. The only questions are when, and for whom? In a draft class that doesn’t have a clear No. 1 prospect nor is considered to be robust, the decision made on this fundamental question is going to be important. Is there a bell-cow back? Does the coaching staff even want to use the capital it may take to acquire one? Does the front office care what the lame-duck coaching staff even wants?
Those are factors that will come into play as Dallas makes their decision. To foster a smart choice, the team has used a ton of their 30 national visit list on the position. Braelon Allen out of Wisconsin is one of several names under consideration. Here’s a detailed look at the Badger and what he brings to the table after a full round of film review.
Background
Mar 2, 2024; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Wisconsin running back Braelon Allen (RB02) during the 2024 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Braelon Allen is a Fond du Lac, Wisconsin native who played football at Fond du Lac High School. After receiving consensus four star-recruitment recognition he elected to keep things close to home and represent his home state by playing for the Wisconsin Badgers for the duration of his college football career.
GENERAL NOTES:
• 2023: All-Big Ten second team
• 2022: All-Big Ten second team
• 2021: Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award finalist
• Walter Camp Freshman All-American
• Consensus four-star recruit
• Named second-team sophom*ore All-America by MaxPreps
Physical Profile
Allen wore #0 at Wisconsin. He has an impressive physical stature, standing over 6 feet tall and weighing 235 pounds, which is well above the average for his position. His wingspan and arm length are proportionate to his size, and his hand size is typical for a running back. His speed is notable, with an unofficial 40-yard dash time that’s faster than most at his position. While he did not participate in the vertical or broad jumps, nor the agility drills, his upper-body strength is evident with a bench press count significantly higher than the average, rounding out a well-balanced athletic profile.
Allen elected not to workout at the NFL scouting combine or the Wisconsin pro day. A 30-visit will afford the Cowboys an opportunity to find out more.
Injury history: 2022 Shoulder strain and minor ankle (Missed 1 week). 2023 High ankle sprain vs Ohio State (Exited and missed 1 week). 2021 Minor leg injuries (Played through).
Measurables
• The youngest RB in the draft
• Considerably taller compared to the average RB prospect height (5-foot-10 1/2)
• Significantly heavier compared to the average RB prospect weight (213 pounds)
Statistics
Film study information
Strengths
Wisconsin running back Braelon Allen (0) runs for a 36-yard touchdown during the first quarter of their game against New Mexico State Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022, at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wis.
Allen enters the draft with a clean bill of health and three productive years of college football under his belt. He’s adept at finding space for pass plays when not engaged in blocking and shows potential in pass protection, though further coaching could enhance this skill. On the field, Allen’s a powerhouse when running downhill and has reliable hands for check-down passes. He’s also dependable for catching passes in the flats and against zone coverage. Allen’s on-field tasks are executed with precision, supported by a strong stiff arm and the agility to navigate behind the line of scrimmage.
Physically, he’s well-built with strong legs, allowing him to shrug off tackles and excel at the goal line. Allen’s speed is respectable, and while his vision is adequate, it’s not exceptional. He brings extensive experience in both gap and zone run schemes and has adapted to a scheme change from gap-heavy to zone-heavy. Allen’s contact balance is notable, and he boasts an impressive 5.8 yards per attempt over his career.
POSITIVES:
• The youngest RB in the draft
• No major reported injuries
• All 3 years of college football were productive
• Recognizes when to leak out of backfield when pass blocking lane is empty
• Has pass blocking upside, but just looks like he needs to be coached up further in it
• Runs with power downhill
• Has sure hands as a check down option,
• Reliable as a pass catcher in the flats and underneath against zone coverage
• Does a nice job of being on task
• Solid stiff arm
• Maneuverability behind the line of scrimmage when needed
• Big strong legs and overall build
• Can bounce off tackles
• Goal line efficiency
• Decent overall speed
• Can’t complain about his vision, can’t brag about it either
• Heavy experience in gap and zone run scheme
• Experience in a scheme change, 2022 (gap heavy) to 2023 (zone heavy)
• Contact balance
• 5.8 career yards per attempt
Weaknesses
Wisconsin running back Braelon Allen celebrates his touchdown run during overtime of their game Saturday, November 18, 2023 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin. Wisconsin beat Nebraska 24-17 in overtime.
Braelon Allen possesses a concerning history of fumbles, with nine incidents over three years, and a tendency not to secure the ball properly when contact is unexpected. His pass protection skills are underwhelming for his size, which was notably exposed when he fumbled twice in a game against Ohio State. Allen’s acceleration appears average, lacking the burst needed to outrun defenders in the open field. While his vision is adequate, it’s not exceptional. His route running from the backfield is limited. Allen needs to develop better patience and timing to his cut and go movement as a ball carrier. His running style is predominantly north and south, lacking the agility for high-speed directional changes. Additionally, he has no experience in special teams.
NEGATIVES:
• 9 fumbles in 3 years – ball security concerns
• Does not run with the ball high and tight when not expecting contact
• Disappointing in pass pro for his size, would hope for it to be his strength
• Put the ball on the turf twice against Ohio State
• Looks to have average acceleration, and lack a second gear in the open field
• Can’t complain about his vision, can’t hyper brag about it either
• Very limited in the routes he was asked to run out of the backfield
• Ran a lot of zone scheme run plays, but looks to need better patience and timing to allow the play to develop
• Not a change of direction runner at high speeds in the open field, very much a vertical runner past the line of scrimmage
• Did not participate in special teams
• 3:1 rushing TD:fumble ratio in 2023
Fit with the Cowboys
Oct 7, 2023; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Wisconsin Badgers running back Braelon Allen (0) gestures after kneeling prior to the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Camp Randall Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
There’s a noticeably void area of need in the Dallas Cowboys running attack since the departure of Ezekiel Elliot, a power running back. Allen is more than capable of filling that skillset void on the roster.
The sky is the limit at this point for any RB that enters training camp on the Dallas Cowboys’ team roster. Last year’s leading rusher, Tony Pollard, departed for Tennessee during free agency.
Second on the depth chart last year was Rico Dowdle, who was also a free agent but the Cowboys decided to bring him back on a very affordable deal. He should almost certainly be in the mix for a time share.
It appears the team is opting for a more budget friendly approach to the running back position in 2024, which is also the final year the team will be eating dead money from Ezekiel Elliot’s mega-contract.
The only other running backs on the team’s roster are Deuce Vaughn (2023 6th round pick; has lacked production with limited opportunity), Hunter Luepke (2023 UDFA – fullback), Malik Davis (2023 Cowboys practice squad) and Snoop Conner (154th overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars).
Warm bodies currently fill the RB room in Dallas. Perhaps, the Cowboys see untapped potential from many of them. Then again, they would not be bringing in so many RBs that are projected in Day 2 on this year’s draft if they were not strongly considering upgrading at the position with a rookie deal price tag.
Prospect grade
Size: 97
Speed/Agility: 88
Power: 93
Vision: 88
Rushing: 88
Receiving: 88
Pass Blocking: 86
Overall Grade: 89.71 (3rd Round grade)
Overall Projection: 3rd Round Projection
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