The Jets, after making three trades to start Round 4, moving down from No. 111 and then from No. 126 and 129, finally made their first pick of day three of the NFL Draft at No. 134 low in the fourth round, selecting Wisconsin running back Braelon Allen.
"It was an incredible, incredible feeling," Allen told Jets media about being selected by the Jets. "A lot of backs were flying off the board. We knew eventually it was going to come, but obviously we waited around a little longer than we had hoped for and maybe even than we expected. But once I got that call, it was a great feeling. Nothing but joy and happiness and 'm very excited to be a part of this organization."
Allen (6-1, 235) is the youngest player in this year's draft class after graduating from Fond du Lac HS in Wisconsin in three years and will be 20 years old for his entire Jets rookie season. Precociously, he led the Badgers in rushing in all three of his seasons at UW after initially signing with the program as a safety/linebacker..
He led the Badgers last season with 984 rushing yards at 5.4 yards/carry with 12 touchdowns. Even though he missed time with a lower leg injury, he played in 11 games and started nine.
Allen's 2021 and '22 campaigns were his signature seasons as he rushed for 1,268 yards as a freshman at 6.8 yards/carry and 12 rushing TDs, then 1,242 yards, at 5.4 per carry, with 11 TDs. He's No. 9 in Wisconsin history with 3,494 career rushing yards.
His strength is one of the assets in his game as he said he squatted 610 pounds — "Not too bad," he said with a smile —and hang-cleaned 405 pounds as a high school sophomore. At this year's NFL Combine, he didn't run due to what he called lower-body issues from last season, but he did put up 26 reps in the 225-pound bench press, second best among all Combine RB participants the past two years.
"I'm a physical, downhill runner," he described his running style. "I try to punish defenders, create contact more than take it and absorb it. I'm more than willing in pass protection, and I'm also able to run routes and catch the ball fairly well. I think I'm a well-rounded back that's bigger than most, so it's a little different than what a lot of people are getting."
Allen also said he thinks his style will mesh flawlessly with Breece Hall, the Jets' third-year tailback out of Iowa State.
"I enjoyed watching Breece a ton, especially his rookie year with the Jets," he said. "I definitely respect his style of play, even when he was at college balling out. He's a fantastic football player and somebody I'm very excited to work alongside."
Allen is the Jets' ninth draft choice from Wisconsin and the fifth since 1980. Most recently, the Green & White selected Joe Tippmann from UW last year and he wound up starting 14 games, the first four at RG and the last 10 games of the season at center.
The preeminent Wisconsin Jets draft choice was WR Al Toon, taken 10th overall in 1985. Toon went on to play in 107 games, start 95, play in three Pro Bowls, and be inducted into the team's Ring of Honor.
The first trade of day three, a two-picks-for-one swap with Green Bay, was the Jets' first trade of any kind with the Packers since last year's draft week extravaganza to bring QB Aaron Rodgers to the Green & White. The second trade was a rare "tradedown" that was actually a tradeup, as the Jets gave Detroit their No. 126 and the Lions reciprocated by sending the Jets their third-round pick in next year's draft.
The two-for-one trade with San Francisco gave the Jets just one fourth-round pick in Allen but two choices in Round 5, two in Round 6 and Mr. Irrelevant to end the 2024 draft early tonight.
