Introduction
The NFL Draft is a landmark event, representing the culmination of years of hard work for college athletes dreaming of playing professional football. For quarterback Brandon Allen, the culmination of his collegiate career and the beginning of his NFL journey was defined by the anticipation and eventual selection in the 2016 NFL Draft. Discussing his path provides insight into the evaluation process for quarterbacks and the reality of carving out a career in the demanding National Football League. This article revisits the entire process, starting from his college days, leading up to and analyzing the Brandon Allen NFL Draft experience.
The Collegiate Foundation: Building a Draft Profile at Arkansas
Brandon Allen’s story isn’t one of a projected first-round phenom, but rather a diligent player who steadily improved and positioned himself for a shot at the professional level. For many fans and scouts, the journey towards the Brandon Allen NFL Draft began by watching him lead the University of Arkansas Razorbacks. He spent five seasons in Fayetteville, redshirting his first year before eventually taking over the starting job.
His early years as the starting quarterback were marked by flashes of potential mixed with inconsistency, typical for young players learning the ropes in the competitive SEC conference. However, his senior season in 2015 saw a significant leap in performance. Under head coach Bret Bielema, Allen demonstrated improved decision-making, accuracy, and command of the offense. He finished that year throwing for 3,440 yards, 30 touchdowns, and only 8 interceptions, completing over 65% of his passes. This senior surge was critical; it put him firmly on the radar of NFL teams and solidified his status as a legitimate professional prospect. His collegiate journey at Arkansas provided the foundational experience that would be heavily scrutinized during the lead-up to the Brandon Allen NFL Draft.
Navigating the Pre-Draft Process
Building upon a strong senior season, the next crucial phase on the road to the NFL was the pre-draft evaluation process. Aspiring NFL players like Brandon Allen participate in events designed to showcase their skills, athleticism, and football intelligence to team scouts and coaches. The most prominent of these is the NFL Scouting Combine, followed by university Pro Days.
Allen participated in the 2016 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, where he underwent various physical tests, measurements, and interviews. His performance in passing drills allowed scouts to evaluate his arm strength, ball placement, and footwork under controlled conditions. While he didn’t necessarily light up the athletic testing portions compared to some dual-threat quarterbacks, his performance was seen as solid and workmanlike, aligning with the perception of him as a pocket passer.
Scouting reports leading up to the Brandon Allen NFL Draft often highlighted his improved accuracy, football IQ, and resilience shown during his time in the tough SEC. Concerns sometimes lingered regarding his overall arm *velocity* compared to top prospects, though his arm strength was generally considered adequate. His mobility was also seen as average for the position in the modern NFL. Draft analysts projected him anywhere from the late rounds to potentially being an undrafted free agent, reflecting the depth and quality of the quarterback class in 2016. The consensus view shaping the narrative around the Brandon Allen NFL Draft was that he was a developmental prospect with the potential to become a reliable backup.
Draft Day: The Call and the Pick
The culmination of years of practice, sacrifice, and evaluation arrived on Draft Day. The 2016 NFL Draft took place from April 28-30 in Chicago, Illinois. As the rounds progressed, players heard their names called, realizing their dreams. For Brandon Allen, the wait extended into the final day.
Finally, in the sixth round, with the 201st overall pick, the Jacksonville Jaguars selected Brandon Allen. This marked the official moment of the Brandon Allen NFL Draft pick, making him a professional football player. The selection was consistent with pre-draft projections that saw him as a late-round pick, a player teams would look at for depth and potential development.
The reaction to the Brandon Allen NFL Draft selection by the Jaguars was relatively muted, typical for a player taken in the later rounds. He wasn’t expected to come in and compete for a starting job immediately, given the Jaguars’ existing quarterback situation. His drafting signified the team adding a developmental arm to their roster, hoping he could be molded into a viable NFL backup. This moment, the official selection in the Brandon Allen NFL Draft, was just the beginning of a much longer, more challenging journey.
The NFL Journey Post-Draft
Since that pivotal moment in the 2016 Brandon Allen NFL Draft, his professional career has been a reflection of the life of many late-round draft picks: navigating practice squads, changing teams, and seizing limited opportunities.
His initial tenure with the Jacksonville Jaguars lasted through the 2017 season. He spent time on both the active roster and the practice squad, developing within the team’s system but not seeing significant playing time. Following his time in Jacksonville, he signed with the Los Angeles Rams in 2018, initially joining their practice squad. He spent the 2018 season and part of the 2019 season with the Rams, again serving primarily in a backup or practice squad capacity.
His most notable NFL opportunities came after signing with the Cincinnati Bengals in September 2019. Due to injuries to the starting quarterback, Allen got his first significant NFL playing time. He made his first NFL start in November 2019. While the team struggled, Allen showed flashes of the capability he displayed during his senior year at Arkansas. He continued to be a part of the Bengals’ quarterback room for several seasons, often serving as the primary backup. He had further starting opportunities in subsequent seasons when the starter was injured or rested. His ability to step in, manage the offense, and occasionally deliver solid performances solidified his value as a reliable backup quarterback in the league. This journey after the Brandon Allen NFL Draft has demonstrated resilience and adaptability.
Evaluating the Brandon Allen NFL Draft Selection
Looking back, how should we evaluate the outcome of the Brandon Allen NFL Draft pick for the Jacksonville Jaguars and for Brandon Allen himself? For the Jaguars, picking a player in the sixth round is an investment in potential depth. Allen did not become their long-term starter, but he developed into an NFL-caliber player who has had a sustained career, albeit mostly as a backup on other teams. For a 6th-round pick, simply having a career that lasts several years in the league is often considered a success.
For Brandon Allen, the selection in the Brandon Allen NFL Draft was the gateway. He wasn’t drafted into an immediate starring role, but he used the opportunity to prove he belonged. His career trajectory post-draft—moving between teams, spending time on practice squads, and eventually earning starts—is a common narrative for players drafted in the later rounds. His perseverance and ability to pick up different offenses have allowed him to stick around the league longer than many players drafted ahead of him. Evaluating the Brandon Allen NFL Draft moment requires context: he was a late-round pick who has outlasted many players taken higher. The Brandon Allen NFL Draft put him on the path, and his consistent effort has kept him there.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the story of Brandon Allen’s journey to the NFL, centered around the Brandon Allen NFL Draft, is a compelling look at the path of a late-round quarterback prospect. From refining his skills at the University of Arkansas to navigating the rigorous pre-draft evaluation process, every step was crucial in positioning him for a chance at the professional level.
His selection by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the sixth round of the 2016 Draft was not the end goal, but the beginning of his professional narrative. Since that moment in the Brandon Allen NFL Draft, he has built a career characterized by resilience and reliability as a backup quarterback for multiple NFL franchises. The Brandon Allen NFL Draft pick itself may not have generated headlines like those of first-rounders, but his ability to maintain a career in the league for several years post-draft is a significant achievement for a player selected in the later rounds. His journey since the Brandon Allen NFL Draft serves as an example of the depth and perseverance required to succeed in the demanding world of the NFL. The Brandon Allen NFL Draft story is a reminder that value can be found throughout the draft, and a pick’s true success is measured over the span of a player’s career.
