The Wisconsin football staff knows better than anyone that running back Braelon Allen is certainly a top running back in the nation.
Allen, a former four-star recruit in the 2021 class, is poised to enter the NFL Draft following his Junior season. While Allen could certainly stay for his Senior year, the running back will likely enter the draft after posting monster numbers yet again. Between his production, size, and potential, Allen could very well be the first running back off the board. However, a recent PFF positional ranking placed Allen far below that expectation.
Wisconsin Football: Braelon Allen Primed For Another Breakout Season For the Badgers
After establishing himself as a workhorse running back last season, the exceptional Braelon Allen is primed for another big year. While the Badgers have lost key players like Joe Tippmann to the draft, the Wisconsin football staff has worked hard to create a stronger team for 2023. In order to do so, the Badgers need to create a dominant offense to solidify their team.
This past season, Allen carried the ball 230 times for 1242 yards on the ground and 11 touchdowns. The running back averaged 5.4 yards per carry along with averaging eight yards per reception. The 6-foot-2-inch, 235-pound running back can cut past any defender and possesses a rare combination of size, strength, and speed. With a new-look offense and Phil Longo calling the shots now, Allen should only go up from his Sophomore season.
Wisconsin Badgers Football: Braelon Allen Ranked Fourth Overall In Recent Positional Rankings
Allen has carried the ball 416 times for 2510 yards and 23 touchdowns in the past two seasons, which places Allen among the top producers in the nation across that span. The three running backs ranked ahead of Allen on the recent list were Trey Benson, Blake Corum, and Donovan Edwards. Corum and Edwards are the lethal backfield duo that Michigan has relied on the last two seasons. Only Corum has rushed for more yards and touchdowns than Allen last season, but has not matched the same production over the last two years.
Both Edwards and Benson are flashy, quick running backs that will burn their way past defenders. However, neither player has come close to matching the production of Allen, nor does it look like they will. Edwards carried the ball for a whopping 7.1 yards per carry last season, but only touched the ball when Corum was not on the field. With the two running backs in the same backfield once again, it seems as though they will produce similarly to what they did respectively last season.
In the case of Benson, the 6-foot-1-inch, 215-pound running back does not have the same power as Allen, but provides incredible elusiveness. Benson was the primary back for the Florida State Seminoles a season ago in an offense that truly distributes the ball. The Oregon transfer did not turn up until the final six games of the season, when he rushed for 100+ yards in five of those games.
While there are plenty of other talented running backs, none of them can match the consistency and production that Braelon Allen has put on display.
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