Paul Kuharsky Loves Dwayne Allen
If you've been following the beat writers on Twitter during the Colts' training camp, or keeping up with news other ways, you'll know that Dwayne Allen has been receiving a lot of attention.
Thankfully, that attention has been all positive.
Coaches and teammates have expressed great surprise in just how good of a receiver he is, and his blocking (which was expected to be a strength) has stood out.
Allen has been hyped more than his second round draft pick teammate (who also makes more), Coby Fleener. While the true potential of either player won't really be known until games start to be played, everybody has taken a liking to the rookie out of Clemson.
Paul Kuharsky is the latest to join that bandwagon, gushing over Allen in his latest update from Anderson.
From his article:
But while Fleener’s been streaky in the early stages of his first camp, I’m told Allen’s steadily been the same guy I’ve been watching over the last couple of days. He’s thick (6-foot-3, 255 pounds), athletic and versatile. He’s playing the “F” spot in the offense of Bruce Arians, a “move” tight end who can line up anywhere, shift anywhere, block as needed and get open to show off his quality hands and run with the ball.
Kuharsky says that Allen has been the most stand out addition of his camp visits so far, Andrew Luck and Titans' DE Kamerion Wimbley excluded, something that is a big compliment to the third round draft pick, and his teammates aren't arguing.
Rookie receiver T.Y. Hilton could certainly understand it if the Colts rarely pull Allen from the offensive huddle.
“For his size and the things he’s doing?” Hilton said. “It’s incredible. I haven’t seen anyone like him. Running over people, he can block, and his route running is phenomenal.”
Colts' fans should be extremely excited to see a guy like Allen on the roster, giving Luck another safety blanket. Not only will Allen be a safe, possibly even dynamic, option to throw to, but he should provide needed aid in the blocking department as well, something that will be appreciated with a suspect offensive line.
But it seems the guy who will be most excited will be Bruce Arians, who will have a plethora of options with guys like Allen and Fleener on the roster. Not only are they versatile, but having them take up space down the seam should help open things up for speedsters T.Y. Hilton, LaVon Brazill, and Donnie Avery down the sideline.
Kuharsky sums it up perfectly:
It’s probably too gushing a review off a small sample, but even this cynic is having trouble resisting …
Allen looks like he was built for this offense.
I've commented before and I'm doing it again... I just don't understand if Allen is as good as all the reports seem to indicate, how the heck was he available in the third round?
This was the #2 rated Tight End (behind Fleener and many people had him #1) With tight end being a position that has come into vogue. I guess I should just stop questioning it and just thank the Colts' lucky stars. And praise Grigson for being bold enough to take him.
@DougEngland this group of TE's are little light and a little short. 1st round TE's tend to in the 6'5" range and 260lbs, with good speed and good hands. Gronk is a prime example, he didn't go until the 2nd because he was injured and couldn't work out, he is 6'5" 260 with a 4.5 forty. Allen would have went higher if he were taller and few pounds heavier. There are reports of him running in the low 4.6's he just did not do it at the combine
@DougEngland Not even just the 40 time, but the guy, is shorter than what most people want their TE's to be, at time in his film he seemed not to really be that good of a blocker, so that was in question, and he really did not do much after he caught the ball, but yes people are enamored with the idea of having a fast TE that can spread the field.
But like the article was saying he was made for this offense, and that is why I think he has so much value.
@DougEngland Bad 40-time at the combine, combined with a refusal to run the 40 at his pro day.
Personally, I think his was a case of scouts getting enamored of the paper speed and suddenly forgetting his play in games. Granted, you *do* want a fast mover to be a receiving type, but there's something to be said about a guy who can catch in traffic in the short and mid-ranged routes. That doesn't require speed as much as it does good hands and an ability to work over the middle with mad linebackers and lunatic safeties converging on you, and that's precisely his strength. But the archetype is for a tall, almost receiver speed guy. That is what I think got him knocked down people's draft boards.
Of course, all this is said with the caveat that *I* may be the one missing something. I'm hardly an expert, after all. (*embarrased grin*)
@AJ_ Thanks for trying to explain it to me. (Your explanation seems as good as any.)
(I'm just fearful that our crappy secondary is what is enabling Allen to look so good.)
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I'm telling everyone: I think Allen, not Fleener, is going to be the "OMG, what a draft pick!" TE for the Colts.
Keep in mind this is no rip on Fleener whatsoever. He's going to be good. It's just that I think everyone was looking at Allen and saying "Third Round Draft Pick" instead of "Used To Be The Number One TE Prospect ahead of Fleener". People downgraded him for his size, for being in a "weak" TE class, etc., but I wonder how many of those people really watched his play. The only legit knock I've seen on him is "slow", and honestly, I don't think it's any more than him being not as fast as a Dallas Clark or Tony Gonzales.
Or Coby Fleener.
Both Fleener and Allen are going to be good. But Fleener is expected to live up to his 2nd round pick (and I think he'll perform as good receiving-wise as some previous 1st round TE receivers). Allen's got an entire round lower level of expectations, and I had predicted he'd be a first rounder prior to the draft, so I think he'll do more than just meet them. I predict he'll exceed third round expectations in a big way. Granted, it still remains to be seen how things will work out, but I don't think many non-Colts fans realize just how lucky Indianapolis was with their first **three** picks. Fleener being available was very good luck already, but Allen being there later turned that into incredible luck. He shouldn't have been there; he should've been gone by that pick. Indy's fortunate it got them both. No matter what else happens this season, I think tight end's set for the foreseeable future.
