Rivals.com’s Mike Farrell puts together an annual ‘Freshman 15‘ list after the college football regular season. He’s gone down to No. 4 on the list thus far, with players including Oklahoma’s Mario Williams (No. 14), Ohio State’s Denzel Burke (No. 11) and Texas’ Xavier Worthy (No. 4) highlighting the names listed.
There is a player Wisconsin fans will recognize at No. 5: Wisconsin true freshman running back Braelon Allen.
Here’s what Farrell had to say about Allen’s first collegiate campaign:
Considering Allen did not become a significant part of the offense until the fourth game of the season, his performance in 2021 was even more impressive. Finishing with 1,109 yards and 12 touchdowns, while averaging 7.1 yards per carry, Allen has the potential to become the next great Wisconsin running back.
Farrell’s take: Allen is a monster. He accelerated high school, was recruited as a linebacker and then switched to running back, and now he’s the next star of the Wisconsin offense. He has a chance to be a 2,000-yard rusher.
#Wisconsin's Braelon Allen comes in at No. 5 in @rivalsmike's Freshman 15 countdownhttps://t.co/7G1UvrLc8q pic.twitter.com/bm4FR1FN0N
— Jon McNamara (@McNamaraRivals) December 24, 2021
A few comments here on both Farrell’s take and Allen’s freshman season:
First, he’s spot on about Allen having the potential to be Wisconsin’s next great running back and the potential for 2000-yard seasons. I think it’s also significant to note that Allen produced this season after just playing a full high school season in the spring (meaning he played two full football seasons in one calendar year).
What Allen did this season was remarkable given the circumstances (yes, and given his age). What we’ll wait for now is whether the offensive line can return to 2017-level play and help the Fond Du Lac native capitalize on his potential.
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