The Jets have signed rookie RB Braelon Allen, the team's fourth-round selection who was taken with the No. 134 overall pick.
At Wisconsin, Allen played in 35 games and finished with 20 100-yard rushing efforts. He joined fellow Wisconsin alum Jonathan Taylor as the only two Big Ten RBs to have 150-plus+carries, 10-plus TDs and a 5.25-plus yds/carry average in three seasons from 2014-23.
"Very physical, downhill," Allen said of his style. "I try to punish defenders, create contact, more than take it and absorb it. So that is what I bring to the Jets, physical downhill runner, more than willing in pass protection and also able to run routes and catch the ball fairly well as well. So, I think I am a well-rounded back that is bigger than most. It is a little different than what a lot of people are getting."
Last season, Allen (6-1, 235) led the Badgers with 984 rushing yards with 12 TDs. As a freshman, Allen averaged 6.8 yards/carry and had 12 rush TDs while running for 1,268 yards. He followed that up with 1,242 yards and 11 TDs as sophomore.
"A lot of backs were flying off the board," Allen said of being the seventh RB taken in the fourth round and 11th overall. "So we knew eventually it was going to come, but obviously waiting 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 very excited to be part of this organization."
Allen's selection followed three trades as GM Joe Douglas moved down from No. 111 and then from No. 126 and 129. Allen, the youngest player in this year's draft class, graduated from Fond du Lac HS in Wisconsin in three years and will be 20 years old for his entire Jets rookie season.
Isaiah Davis (Rd. 5, No. 38) became the second Jets' second running back taken on Day 3 of the draft. Breece Hall is the centerpiece of the RB room and Israel Abanikanda, a fifth-round pick out of Pittsburgh in 2023, provided depth as a rookie. Allen and Davis (6-1, 220) will round out the group that also includes Xazavian Valladay and Jacques Patrick.
"We're excited about these two young backs we brought in in Braelon [Allen)]and Isaiah [Davis]," Douglas said. "Big backs, productive backs. So, look, it adds great competition in the room. Obviously, we have a dynamic player in Breece. We're still very excited about Izzy, but we have four backs. It's going to be a pretty cool room. Young stable of stallions to see how they do and see how they compete. So, excited about that room.
HC Robert Saleh added: "Big, physical backs that complement both Izzy and Breece really well. Again, when it gets hard and it's cold and it's December in New York, when the air is out of the ball, that's when the run game comes to life."
