It took a while in April, but Syracuse's LeQuint Allen eventually was drafted to the NFL.
The Jacksonville Jaguars snagged Allen in the seventh and final round, giving him a shot at his professional football dream.
A few months later, with the Jags in the midst of training camp, it looks like Allen has a chance at a real role as a rookie.
ESPN's Dan Graziano recently visited training camp for the Jaguars, and he writes this of Allen:
"And seventh-round rookie LeQuint Allen Jr. is a player they see evolving into a third-down back due to his pass-catching and pass protection abilities."
It's a crowded backfield in Jacksonville. They also have Travis Etienne, Tank Bigsby and fellow rookie Bhayshul Tuten (Virginia Tech, fourth round).
The fact that Allen has a chance to break through is a great sign for his career.
It wouldn't be surprising that he can make a mark as a third-down back.
In his final season at SU, Allen caught 64 passes for 521 yards and four scores.
He's also a great runner, having carried 228 times for 1,021 yards and an ACC-best 16 touchdowns in 2024.
At the NFL Combine, Allen measured at 6-feet tall, 204 pounds. That's enough to be a solid blocker if he's got the right technique, and clearly, the Jags think he does.
Allen has been on the field at times with QB1 Trevor Lawrence this summer, which is another great sign for his chances of not only making the roster but also potentially seeing the field early.
The Jags still have some stuff to figure out, but it sounds like Allen is legitimately in their plans, and that's a great development for the Syracuse product.
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