Kaytron Allen, RB, Penn State
Size:
Height: 5’11” (v) | Weight: 223 lbs (v)
Accomplishments:
Second-Team All-Big Ten (2023) • Preseason Doak Award Watch List (2023) • Four-star recruit
“Kaytron Allen is a one-cut, downhill runner who consistently attacks the line of scrimmage at full speed.”
Strengths:
Fires through the alley
Plays behind pads
Little wasted movement
Leg drive
Contact balance
Concerns:
Long speed
Lateral agility
Vision
Film Analysis:
Kaytron Allen entered the CFP with nearly identical totals to his sophomore season in 2023. His 172 carries post-championship weekend is the same pre-CFP total as last year, and Allen rushed 812 yards this fall compared to 899 last season. He also reached the end zone on the ground the same amount of times (6) this year as last. A primary rotational ball-carrier alongside Nick Singleton, Allen is a downhill ball-carrier who has experience in a variety of blocking schemes. Should he declare as a true junior, Allen will enter the process with fresh tread on his proverbial tires in comparison to many other of the backs, with three years of Big Ten football under his belt.
Allen is primarily a one-cut, downhill runner who consistently attacks the line of scrimmage at full speed. Primarily a zone runner at Penn State but has experience reading gap concepts upfront. He’s a one-cut runner who doesn’t waste time in getting north-south after the mesh point.
Inside the tackles, Allen can wear down a front seven due to his level of physicality. Combines speed and power with a low center of gravity. Plays behind his pads well and is rarely taken down by one defender. One-cut runner that will attack the smallest of creases. Good reactive athleticism if alleys quickly close, but he is not a runner to attack backside or consistently create his own lanes. Always falling forward. Outside the tackles, Allen does a nice job of understanding when to bounce and when to cut it upfield. He will not string runs out to try and outrun pursuit angles. Zero concerns with ball security. He keeps carries high and tight to the chest and will wrap with two hands at contact.
As a pass-catcher, Allen is used primarily as a check-down or occasional screen threat. He has an extremely limited route tree but has shown the hands and playmaking ability to warrant more touches and snaps on the outside (caught 15 of 21 targets in 2024). Physicality transitions well when asked to pick up free runners in pass pro. Good technique in his lower half and more than holds his own against larger opponents.
Concerns remain about his overall athletic profile. Speed is average and small strides force quick foot turnover to gain ground. Allen can run into trouble if runways are occupied where his build-up speed has limited space to maneuver. Lateral agility also remains an area of improvement. Despite his low center of gravity, Allen has average footwork laterally to shuffle, jump cut, and accelerate. Initial acceleration and burst are present, but Allen will not outrun opposing secondaries or more athletic linebackers. Wiggle in space is average at this point in his evaluation, but increased creativity could come with more and more touches.
Overall, Allen displays traits that will translate to a varied offensive front in search of depth in their running back room.
Prospect Projection: Day 3 — Scheme Specific Contributor
Written by: Ryan Fowler
Exposures: Oregon (2024), UCLA (2024), Washington (2024), Ohio State (2024), Michigan State (2023), Maryland (2023), Michigan (2023)
