Marcus Allen, Penn State: 2018 NFL Draft Scouting Report
By Jon Dove
Penn State’s Marcus Allen is a big-hitting safety prospect who needs to make a lot of improvements as a cover guy.
Marcus Allen is known for his ability to deliver punishing hits. He’s a safety prospect who does his best work at or near the line of scrimmage. However, he also features the closing burst and instincts to support the run from the deep safety spot.
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Allen’s aggressiveness is what stands out as he’s like an extra linebacker on the field. He uses his big hit and hands in an attempt to dislodge the ball from the runner. This is a safety who can fill at the line of scrimmage and take on blockers.
His aggressiveness can be a negative at times. He can get a little out of control and fail to break down when tackling. This results in missed tackles and some poor angles. Allen needs to remain under control and remember that he’s often the last line of defense.
In pass coverage, Allen struggles to properly read the quarterback and developing routes. His struggles in pass coverage hurt his overall draft stock.
He lacks feel in coverage and can be often found flat footed. Allen is so use to supporting the run that he just doesn’t have a ton of experience playing centerfield. The same can be said about his limited experience playing in man coverage.
Allen just doesn’t appear overly confident in his coverage skills. He lacks the savvy to set up the quarterback by masking his coverage.
It’ll be important for the team that drafts Allen to understand he will need time to develop this part of his game. However, we have seen big-hitters like Landon Collins make quick adjustments and make this part of his game a strength.