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One player who the Broncos interviewed at the NFL Combine was Cal receiver Keenan Allen. Elway and the staff had Allen draw up plays he used in college. The 6'2 206 lb. prospect is considered one of the top Wide Receivers in this year's draft class. CBSSports.com ranks Allen as the 3rd overall WR prospect and the 27th overall in Aprils NFL Draft. Also according to NFL Networks Draft guru Mike Mayock Allen is his 2nd rated receiver in his initial rankings. Allen does have a Grade 2 PCL strain currently and will not workout until March 14th at Cal's Pro Day. Allen as of now is considered a mid first round selection.
Bio:
Allen had a solid 3 year career at Cal. In his career at Cal Allen totaled 205 catches for 2,570 yards and 17 TDs. His best season came in 2011 when he totaled 98 receptions for 1,343 yards and 6 TDs. Allens 2012 season came to an early end because of a knee injury he suffered in October. Allen at the time had 61 receptions for 737 yards and 6 TDs.
#21 Keenan Allen
Position: WR
Height / Weight: 6-2 / 206
Date of birth: April 27, 1992 (age 20)
Experience: 2010-12
Major: African American studies.
CAL CAREER (Career Stats): Announced his intention to enter the 2013 NFL Draft on Dec. 5, 2012, after playing three seasons at Cal ... Cal's all-time leader with 205 receptions, while ranking third on the school's career list with 2,570 receiving yards and seventh with 17 touchdown catches ... had career averages of 77.9 receiving yards per game and 12.5 receiving yards per catch over 33 contests and 29 starts ... totaled 3,458 all purpose yards (104.8 per game) to rank just outside the school's all-time top 10 ... added 30 rushes for 258 yards (7.7 ypr) and two touchdowns on the ground, with a long of 45 yards against Washington as a freshman; 21 punt returns for 252 yards including a career-long 69-yard touchdown return against Southern Utah as a junior; and 18 kick returns for 406 yards including a long of 61 versus Arizona State also as a freshman ... scored 120 career points on 17 touchdown catches, two rushing TDs and one punt return score ... on the receiving end of a 90-yard touchdown pass from Zach Maynard at Washington in 2011 that is the longest pass play in school history ... his 13 catches against USC in 2011 is tied for third on Cal's single-game reception list, while his 197 receiving yards at Washington the same season is fifth ... equaled DeSean Jackson as the fastest player in Cal history to reach both 1,000 career receiving yards in his 16th career contest vs. Utah and 100 career receptions in his 18th game against Washington State, both in 2011, as Jackson reached both respective marks in 2006 in the same number of total games in his career ... had at least one reception in each of his 33 collegiate contests and at least two in each of his last 29 games ... completed all three of his career passes he attempted for 52 yards and a touchdown, giving him an astronomical career passer efficiency rating of 355.60 ... had 34 career catches of 20 or more yards and added another two "explosive" plays on the ground for a career total of 36 ... had seven career 100-yard receiving games to rank tied for sixth on Cal's all-time list ... led or co-led all Cal receivers in receptions 26 times and receiving yards on 18 occasions over 33 collegiate contests ... also had seven tackles.
Via: CalBears.com
Draft Profile on Keenan Allen:
NFL.com Scouting Profile on Keenan Allen:
STRENGTHS:
Long-legged, reliable No. 1 receiver prospect. Runs solid slants, crossers, speed outs and vertical routes. Good height to win jump balls downfield, will attack the ball in the air with his hands and has good ball skills overall. Lines up in the slot regularly, can get off press with a quick shake at the line and uses his frame to block out smaller corners. Eats up ground quickly on his vertical stems. Agile and physical ball carrier after the catch, can make the first man miss with a quick cut or spin away from tackle attempts, maintaining his balance to continue downfield. Also runs through smaller corners to pick up a few extra yards. Gets down quickly for low throws despite his height. Aware receiver who uses his hands to create space from defenders downfield and gives his quarterback a target when in scramble mode. Good hip flexibility, as he sinks low into his routes and bursts out of the break.
WEAKNESSES:
Has strider’s speed that is good enough to threaten defenses down the sideline but is not elite in this category. Allows some passes into his body when facing the quarterback. Has the occasional drop when extending away from his frame or tracking over his shoulder, but bounces back quickly. Does not utilize his size or length as a run blocker, does not execute cut blocks and at times fails to hit a target. Development as a receiver was held back, as his quarterback could only comfortably attack a few portions of the field.
NFL COMPARISON: Jordy Nelson
BOTTOM LINE:
A smooth outside pass-catcher, Allen has the height, speed and ability to win jump balls required of a number-one target in the NFL; the first-team All-Pac 12 pick in 2011 caught most of his 98 passes for 1,343 yards and 11 scores in 2011 from lefty quarterback Zach Maynard, who happens to be his half-brother. Maynard’s play regressed in 2012, however, causing Allen’s production to fall off his junior season. He still displayed all the same skills and talents he showcased during his uber-productive sophomore season, and he figures to go in the top 25 selections if his knee and ankle check out medically.
NFL Combine numbers for Keenan Allen:
Arm Length: 32 3/4"
Hand Length: 10"
Via: NFL.com
CBSSports.com Scouting Report on Allen:
Strengths:
Has a long, tapered build with prototypical height for the position. Very good all-around athlete. Good initial quickness, balance and lateral agility. Is a smooth accelerator with sneaky build-up speed. Natural big play threat who isn't afraid of contact and has very good vision and patience to set up blocks. Rarely allows passes to get past his hands and into his chest. Typically snatches passes out of the air, showing very good hand-eye coordination and a wide catching radius due to his length, flexibility and big hands. Tracks the ball well over his shoulder. Experienced route-runner who has extensive experience lining up outside and in the slot. Quick hands and feet to slip past press coverage. Shows a natural savvy running his routes, altering his speeds, dipping his shoulder and exploding out of his cuts to generate separation from the defender. Does a nice job of shielding defensive backs from the ball with his size. Wastes little time getting upfield. Competitive, attentive downfield blocker.
Weaknesses:
Lacks elite straight-line speed. Is quicker and more agile than his size would indicate but does not possess the elite elusiveness to consistently make defenders miss in tight quarters. Will occasionally drop catchable passes, though this typically occurs when he's in traffic and attempting to make a defender miss before securing the ball. Missed the final three games of the 2012 season with a left knee injury that will need to be evaluated at the Combine.
Compares To: Jordy Nelson, WR, Green Bay Packers -- Like Nelson, Allen possesses just enough straight-line speed to beat defenders on the outside, as well as the size, toughness and sure hands to attack over the middle.
--Rob Rang
Via: CBSSports.com
Videos:
Ultimate Keenan Allen Highlights
Keenan Allen Vs UC Davis Highlights
Cal WR Keenan Allen vs UCLA ᴴᴰ
Keenan Allen vs Stanford (2011)
Keenan Allen vs Ohio State and USC 2012
My Take:
I found it interesting that the Broncos interviewed Allen. I like Allen, he would give the Broncos and Manning another weapon. Also with Deckers contract expiring next season, the Broncos need to build up some WR depth in case they cannot afford Decker. Also outside of Decker and DT the Broncos are rather thin at WR. He is coming off a knee injury, but I'm not too concerned about it right now. It doesn't seem like it would hamper him long term. What I liked about Allen is that he's a good route runner and has experience lining up outside and in the slot. Those qualities have to be attractive for the Broncos with Manning at QB. I would be okay with the Broncos selecting Allen in the first round.