QB Allen: still underrated

[Merlin]

Wanted to observe how this QB is stll listed behind others that are not as good as him. No buzz during Senior Bowl practice week, little buzz in spite of maybe having the strongest outing in Saturday's game.

He doesn't have the size of so many other QBs but I absolutely love his throwing ability and the touch he puts on the ball. I love his workmanlike approach during a college tenure with great adversity including loss of his coach, four different coordinators, and the fallout and pressure of going 0-8 in front of his home state fans his first season.

Just wanted to give this kid some credit. When I watch his games there is just something about him man. The dude can flat ball and is going to be a mid to late round pick that might be one helluva gem for some lucky team.

 

[den-the-coach]

Brandon Allen is from Fayetteville, Ark, where men are men and sheep are nervous, seriously though I think @Merlin is on to something I liked the way he competes and he took many sad songs and made them better.

 

[DR RAM]

Small hands, smells like cabbage.

He played very well at the game, not great during the week. Decent arm, good athlete. I wish he was a little taller, he had a good season for the Razorbacks. Just have to say, we either go big, or go home.

 

[Merlin]

Small hands, smells like cabbage.

He played very well at the game, not great during the week. Decent arm, good athlete. I wish he was a little taller, he had a good season for the Razorbacks. Just have to say, we either go big, or go home.

Yeah going with him is too risky for the Rams. But he's still one of those guys who I think is going to be better than his measurables.

I'm all in with a high pick QB, but unfortunately we're talking about the Rams so it's hard to say whether they'll finally put a real premium on the position. So just like with every other year I like to keep an eye on a lot of the overlooked guys, the ones who are midrounds and later, and he's one that routinely stands out.

In the 2014 draft I loved Savage's tape to a similar degree. He hasn't done squat yet and still might not but the rankings I kept seeing on him I felt were way too low and he ended up going round 4 to the Texans. Rams of course took a flyer on Gilbert.

 

[Ramlock]

Wanted to observe how this QB is stll listed behind others that are not as good as him. No buzz during Senior Bowl practice week, little buzz in spite of maybe having the strongest outing in Saturday's game.

He doesn't have the size of so many other QBs but I absolutely love his throwing ability and the touch he puts on the ball. I love his workmanlike approach during a college tenure with great adversity including loss of his coach, four different coordinators, and the fallout and pressure of going 0-8 in front of his home state fans his first season.

Just wanted to give this kid some credit. When I watch his games there is just something about him man. The dude can flat ball and is going to be a mid to late round pick that might be one helluva gem for some lucky team.

Pretty good summation. He seems to have the heart and drive that Ryan Mallett lacks.

Good thing to put that effort out for all to see on the field before the combine. Senior Bowl rarely sees good execution but Allen had 2 nice drives.

And he played under center most of his 4 years and he can read defenses.

Some of the others will have the big adjustment that the Air Raid guys have had, who have plays signed in.

Allen made all his own checks.

Hope he gets a chance to stick with a team....

 

[CGI_Ram]

Small hands, smells like cabbage.

He played very well at the game, not great during the week. Decent arm, good athlete. I wish he was a little taller, he had a good season for the Razorbacks. Just have to say, we either go big, or go home.

I went looking for his hand size the other day. Where did you find it?

I kind of like this guy.

 

[Merlin]

LINK

2016 Senior Bowl: Arkansas QB Brandon Allen explains why he has advantage over competition
Posted : 5 days ago


MOBILE, Ala. — Despite a record-setting career at Arkansas, Brandon Allen’s career goals are simple: Get drafted and make an NFL team.

A pair of physical traits — height (6-foot-1) and hand size (8.5 inches, the smallest of any Senior Bowl quarterback) — threaten to hold him back when the draft rolls around this May.

“I have to prove that my height and hand size aren’t going to affect anything I’m doing,” Allen said after practice Wednesday. “They haven’t affected me before.”

He has three primary objectives in the predraft process:

• “Being accurate with the football.”
• “Having some velocity on it.”
• “Being good within in the pocket.”

“If I can display all that out here,” he added, “it’ll definitely help me.”

Allen led the SEC in passer rating (166.48) and yards per attempt (9.3) this season while tossing a school-record 64 touchdowns on his career.

His performance led to a coveted Senior Bowl invite; The former Razorbacks star is one of four quarterbacks on the South squad, a group that includes SEC rivals Jake Coker (Alabama) and Dak Prescott (Mississippi State).

While Coker tries to steady his pocket presence and Prescott learns how to work from under center, Allen is trying to use his Arkansas experience to get a leg up.

“I think the biggest thing is I’m from a pro-style offense,” he said. “I’ve been under center a lot the past three years. That comes naturally to me. We do a lot at the line of scrimmage: Mike IDs, checking the protection, checking runs, all that. I feel like I have an advantage over a lot of guys that come from spread-style offenses.”

The 2016 Senior Bowl kicks off on Saturday afternoon (2:30 p.m. ET, NFL Network).

 

[DR RAM]

I went looking for his hand size the other day. Where did you find it?

I kind of like this guy.

The Senior Bowl website. They did official measurements. It was mentioned during practices, and during the game. Apparently, a lot of teams dropped him off their boards, simply because of it. The kid played like a gamer. I just searched this, it's a cleaner list. A player with smaller hands isn't supposed to be able to play in inclement weather.
http://www.fieldgulls.com/2016/1/29...l-roster-measurements-game-start-time-tv-info

I like him as a later round project, but he has a lot to overcome, and how many QB's are we going to have on the roster? Someone will take a flyer on the third day, because of R. Wilson, but Wilson is a better athlete.

 

[CGI_Ram]

The Senior Bowl website. They did official measurements. It was mentioned during practices, and during the game. Apparently, a lot of teams dropped him off their boards, simply because of it. The kid played like a gamer. I just searched this, it's a cleaner list. A player with smaller hands isn't supposed to be able to play in inclement weather.
http://www.fieldgulls.com/2016/1/29...l-roster-measurements-game-start-time-tv-info

I like him as a later round project, but he has a lot to overcome, and how many QB's are we going to have on the roster? Someone will take a flyer on the third day, because of R. Wilson, but Wilson is a better athlete.

Thank you.

Yep. That would take him off most boards.

9 1/4" is considered the lower end and there are very few examples of successful QB's shy of that length. I'm not aware of ANY at 8 1/2".

Despite being short, Russell Wilson is >10".

 

[DR RAM]

Thank you.

Yep. That would take him off most boards.

9 1/4" is considered the lower end and there are very few examples of successful QB's shy of that length. I'm not aware of ANY at 8 1/2".

Despite being short, Russell Wilson is >10".

Me either. The circumference of a college football is slightly smaller, about an inch difference, and the NFL football, is heavier. An NFL football is slightly harder to throw, but Allen seemed to have no problem with it. I can throw both, but have to grip the NFL ball farther back, for instance.

 

[Merlin]

Thank you.

Yep. That would take him off most boards.

9 1/4" is considered the lower end and there are very few examples of successful QB's shy of that length. I'm not aware of ANY at 8 1/2".

Despite being short, Russell Wilson is >10".

Only Michael Vick.

 

[DR RAM]

Despite being short, Russell Wilson is >10".

That's what Ciara said....ball:

 

[LACHAMP46]

Small hands...but he sure looked good in the game....but so did Dak Prescott....and Brissett..

 

[RamsJunkie]

I live in Arkansas and go to or watch all the games. Tyler Wilson was a way better prospect than Brandon Allen and Wilson is now doing local sports radio 10 minutes from my house. I was glad to see Allen go..... I sure as hell don't want to see him on my other favorite team.

 

[DR RAM]

I live in Arkansas and go to or watch all the games. Tyler Wilson was a way better prospect than Brandon Allen and Wilson is now doing local sports radio 10 minutes from my house. I was glad to see Allen go..... I sure as hell don't want to see him on my other favorite team.

Tyler Wilson's name comes up a lot, when people are discussing Allen. Your view appears to be shared by a lot of people. It's good to hear from a guy who followed him every game.

 

[Ramlock]

Tyler Wilson's name comes up a lot, when people are discussing Allen. Your view appears to be shared by a lot of people. It's good to hear from a guy who followed him every game.

Tyler Wilson comes up only because they are now both former U of A qb's.

I follow the Razorbacks closely as well.

BA is ascending. TW had topped out.

Tyler Wilson was not a "way better prospect" IMO.
BA throws a better ball; more velocity and better spin.
Bet BA's 40 is faster at the combine.
Allen makes an NFL team, Rams or not.

TW had Bobby Petrino, Joe Adams, Greg Childs and Jarious Wright. Knile Davis and Chris Gragg and Cobi Hamilton. All drafted. Scheme and weapons.

 

[Merlin]

Small hands...but he sure looked good in the game....but so did Dak Prescott....and Brissett..

I gotta think Fish digs Prescott... Mobile QB and if they target him he won't need to use that pick at 15.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

I gotta think Fish digs Prescott... Mobile QB and if they target him he won't need to use that pick at 15.

That is one guy I have not followed, but I keep reading that he made a lot of improvements as a passer this year. Wish I knew what to think. Either way it seems like another raw prospect that would not help out right off the bat and if he started early his desire to run may become a stronger tendency than you want. I am guessing he lacks in reading defenses or scanning the field because I don't hear him talked about as a second day pick.

I guess that is the way it is going to go in the NFL from here on out. You may get a guy here or there that is ready to step in but for the most part QBs will have to be developed because so many colleges run spread type offenses. Maybe it is for the best that teams are forced to take guys later and stash them on the team for development without using a high pick to acquire them. However it does nothing to help the teams that don't have a QB already in place. The more I think of how guys like Lynch and Wentz will have a steep learning curve the more I cringe at trading up to get them.

 

[LACHAMP46]

I keep reading that he made a lot of improvements as a passer this year. Wish I knew what to think. Either way it seems like another raw prospect that would not help out right off the bat and if he started early his desire to run may become a stronger tendency than you want.

I watched a game or two of his. From highlights he looks like a keeper, from game tape....he's just a guy that can run when pressured. I don't see him scrambling and throwing down the field. His bowl game, he was missing a bunch of short passes, which is a killer for me. I just think the upper tier guys (Goff, Wentz, Lynch, Cook, Hogan, Hackenberg) seem to have a better grasp of offenses.
Brissett can throw. Maybe someone can really teach him the position. If we sign a vet QB (RGIII, Osweiler, Manziel) then a REAL developmental QB could be on the menu...

BA throws a better ball; more velocity and better spin.

Man, that ball was humming on Saturday...Does he always throw that hard, or was that a show for the scouts?

 

[DR RAM]

I watched a game or two of his. From highlights he looks like a keeper, from game tape....he's just a guy that can run when pressured. I don't see him scrambling and throwing down the field. His bowl game, he was missing a bunch of short passes, which is a killer for me. I just think the upper tier guys (Goff, Wentz, Lynch, Cook, Hogan, Hackenberg) seem to have a better grasp of offenses.
Brissett can throw. Maybe someone can really teach him the position. If we sign a vet QB (RGIII, Osweiler, Manziel) then a REAL developmental QB could be on the menu...

Man, that ball was humming on Saturday...Does he always throw that hard, or was that a show for the scouts?

He seems to tuck and go immediately. He even tucked and ran during passing drills at the Senior Bowl practices. He had a better arm than I suspected, which is a heck of a lot easier to see live, or in his case, when you see several QB's throw the same routes, back to back.