The New York Jets may have found a steal in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft when they selected former Wisconsin running back Braelon Allen with the No. 134 overall pick. Despite being one of the youngest players in the entire class and possessing great size at 6-foot-1, 235 pounds, there were nine running backs selected over him.
In his first three NFL gamesAllen rushed 19 times for 96 yards and a touchdown, and caught six passes for 45 yards and another score. While the Jets have a superstar in the backfield with Breece Hall, New York’s staff has already deemed the 20-year-old Allen worthy of a few touches in Aaron Rodgers’ offense.
How did Allen fall to the fourth round in this past draft? It was a question asked on social media. Allen took time to answer that question on Friday, and he blamed the amount of importance placed on the NFL Combine, or “Underwear Olympics.”
“Everyone wanted to see me run around in my underwear to decide if I was a good football player,” Allen wrote.
Allen did attend this year’s combine, but did not participate in every practice. For example, he didn’t run the 40-yard dash — a drill that fans and pundits pay too much attention to.
In the Week 2 win over the Tennessee Titans, Allen recorded 56 total yards and two total touchdowns. He became the youngest NFL player to score a touchdown since Arnie Herber in 1930 (both 20 years, 239 days old), and the youngest player in NFL history to score multiple touchdowns in a contest. Allen also set a franchise record by becoming the first Jets rookie to score a rushing touchdown and receiving touchdown in a single game.
So, in the future, when you wonder why Allen fell in the draft, remember that the underwear rush doesn’t mean everything.
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