It wasn't long ago that NY Jets rookie running back Braelon Allen saw himself as the next star hybrid linebacker/safety at the NFL level. In fact, just a few years ago, Allen was modeling his game after former Jets All-Pro safety Jamal Adams.
Allen, who originally committed to Wisconsin as a safety, wanted to be like Adams. As a 6-foot-1, 215-pound 17-year-old, Allen wanted to harness his physicality and eventually make the transition from box safety to linebacker in the NFL one day. Adams was his inspiration.
"That’s more of a role I’ll be taking on at Wisconsin. [Jamal Adams] is more of an in-the-box outside linebacker. I started watching a lot more linebacker stuff and learning more about that position. [Adams and Derwin James] are the main safeties that I like to watch."
- Braelon Allen
That quote is from an interview Allen did with The Athletic prior to arriving on Wisconsin's campus in 2021. He expected to compete for playing time as a hybrid safety/linebacker in his freshman season. Instead, he went on to rush for nearly 1,300 yards as the team's bell-cow running back.
Allen's remarkable journey to the NFL is highlighted by an unexpected position change that saw him go from idolizing players like Adams to earning comparisons to the likes of Brandon Jacobs and even Derrick Henry.
Braelon Allen is already exceeding expectations with the NY Jets
Allen didn't transition to the offensive side of the ball until the summer before his freshman year in college. With Wisconsin hurting for depth at running back, the team's coaching staff asked that Allen fill in on offense for the time being.
Before long, Allen was leading Wisconsin in rushing as a 17-year-old despite not taking over as the primary starter until a few games into the season. Allen would earn Freshman All-American and second-team All-Big Ten honors.
Now, just a few short years later, Allen finds himself carving out an important role as a running back in the Jets' offense. His days of idolizing and modeling his game after Jamal Adams are well behind him, and that's likely for the best.
Allen has been one of the most notable surprises of Jets camp this summer. The 20-year-old has run away with the team's RB2 job behind Breece Hall and looks primed to receive plenty of playing time on offense this season.
When Allen takes the field for his first snaps in September, he will become the youngest player in Jets history. Allen doesn't turn 21 years old until late January, meaning that he will be 20 for the entirety of his rookie season.
It's remarkable how quickly a player like Allen has taken to the running back position and how advanced he is at this stage of his young career. The young Wisconsin native has proven to be more NFL-ready than the team initially expected.
Here's to hoping Allen's Jets career ends on a more positive note than his former idol.
