Un-drafted Gem: Watch out for Russell Allen

Background:

The Jaguars acquired San Diego State LB, Russell Allen, in UDFA after the draft. Allen has the potential to not only make the team, but also to work his way onto the field. Ask Vic has even contained references to Allen as a player to watch. Clearly he'll have an opportunity to make the team. Special teams is always the best way for rookies to make an impact, and we'll undoubtedly see Allen participating there quite a bit during the preseason.

Russell Allen should have been picked. He wasn't, and he chose to come to the Jaguars in UDFA, thanks in large part to a unique connection with Thom Kaumeyer. Thom is now an assistant in Jacksonville, and recruited Allen out of High School.

Allen was third in the nation in tackles from the LB position with 107. This trailed only Lauranitis and Mckenzie in draft eligible LB's. Clearly, Russell is a hard worker and will make an impact regardless of position. He reached 107 tackles despite being forced to spend some time at DE, due to some untimely injuries on the team's defensive line.

Scouting:

Allen stands at 6'3" 230 lbs, and ran between 4.58 and 4.62 at his pro day. His vertical leap was 33.5 inch, and he benched 225 lbs 24 times. Decent numbers, and he clearly has some strength coming in to the league. 

He's cross-trained at both weak-side and inside LB positions, giving him versatility that will add to his value. A total of 16 teams came to see his pro day proformance, and there was clearly a great deal of interest in the young man. If not for the Thom Kaumeyer connection, he would likely be somewhere else. Jacksonville was among the teams that had him in for a personal workout, here's some of the other teams he had personal visits with. 

Allen had an impressive workout at a pro day last month, during which he even long-snapped. Carolina Panthers head coach John Fox, a former assistant at San Diego, watched the workout along with scouts from several other teams.

Allen visited the San Diego Chargers, Miami Dolphins, Jacksonville Jaguars and Oakland Raiders.

Character? Russell was the only non-senior Team Captain on his squad in 2007. Clearly he's a guy who has had the respect of his teammates for a long time. We'll see if that translates to the Jaguars' locker room. 

Wondering where some teams project Allen's position at? Inside LB for a 3-4, or Outside LB in a 4-3. We shouldn't be surprised if Russell winds up on the final roster. 

The Chargers, one of the teams he spent the most time with, as well as Miami and Dallas have told him he'll play inside linebacker in their 3-4 schemes if he ends up in their camp.

Jacksonville, where former SDSU defensive coordinator Thom Kaumeyer is an assistant coach and is championing the player he once recruited out of Vista, views him as an outside linebacker in a 4-3, Allen said. So do Chicago and Indianapolis.

Allen is projected by some scouting services as a sixth- or seventh-round pick. He may not be drafted at all. Caric thinks he has taken enough calls from interested teams that Allen might sneak into the fifth round.

Draft Ace Scouting Report

Video Links:

Interview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Jvv2yQiRu4
Highlights: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZyCL8Sqduo

-Collin Streetman