Right next to a wide receiver who can create separation, a tight end who can make contested catches is a quarterback’s best friend. In that case, Matthew Stafford and Davis Allen should become great friends in short order.
In the fifth round, the Rams selected the Clemson tight end who was a contested-catch specialist for the Tigers, consistently coming down with receptions in traffic and with defenders draped all over him.
He may not be the fastest or quickest tight end, so creating separation isn’t his specialty, but he has a huge catch radius and is open even when he doesn’t appear to be. This 6-minute highlight reel shows exactly that, with Allen making several difficult grabs at Clemson.
Last season, he caught 39 passes for 443 yards and five touchdowns, scoring at least three touchdowns in each of his last three years. He only ran a 4.84 in the 40-yard dash, so speed isn’t his strength, but he still finds ways to make plays against man coverage and find holes in zones.
And at 6-foot-6 with a 38.5-inch vertical, he can quickly become a red zone weapon with his size and leaping ability.
