The Jacksonville Jaguars have mostly gotten rave reviews for their draft haul, and it's easy to see why. Their rookie class is stacked with intriguing talent all the way to Round 7. Sure, two-way star Travis Hunter is the talk of the town, and rightly so, but a handful of late-round picks could also have an immediate impact for the Jags. Running back LeQuint Allen is one of them.
The 236th overall pick in this year's draft, Allen lacks top-end speed but possesses great vision. On top of that, he's a great receiver out of the backfield and excels in pass protection, invaluable skills that could allow him to carve a niche in Jacksonville.
Just recently, Allen's offensive coordinator at Syracuse, Jeff Nixon, made an apperance on 1010 XL and talked about the kind of player the Jaguars are getting. Spoilers: He's a potential draft gem:
"The Jaguars got a hidden gem in LeQuint," Nixon said. "He is a true three-down running back who can do it all. And that's what you're looking for in the NFL at that position. He can run every single run scheme. We threw the ball a lot this year, so he takes great pride in being a great pass protector, and can catch the ball out of the backfield. Probably had the best hands on our team. He led the NCAA and running back catches last year with 64, and he was just a player that we didn't really want to take off the field."
Nixon continued, "He played more snaps than any running back last year, and in NCAA football, almost, I think, 900 snaps. So you're getting a true competitor, someone who's going to be one of the toughest guys on the field, and someone who loves football. He loves the process of working and getting better on a daily basis. And I'm looking for the point to do great things there in Jacksonville."
The fact that Allen can contribute on third downs could allow him to earn a 53-man roster spot. Tank Bigsby isn't a great pass-catcher out of the backfield. Travis Etienne is, but also struggles in pass protection. Heck, a report surfaces that the new regime isn't sold on either running back, and if Etienne ends up on the trading block, Allen could earn plenty of snaps in 2025.
LeQuint Allen is poised to make an impact for the Jaguars as a rookie
You could make the case that Jeff Nixon is biased because he coached LeQuint Allen, and there's some truth to that. On the other hand, he probably wouldn't go to bat for him if he thought it could come back to haunt him. Moreover, the former Syracuse standout isn't only getting praise from his college offensive coordinator. Draft analyst Josh Norris is also high on him, calling him an ideal Day 3 role player.
It's also worth noting that Allen might've landed in the perfect situation for him. As noted before, the Jaguars are lacking a pass-catching running back who can also block. He fits the bill, and nobody will bat an eye if he ends up earning a significant role as a rookie.
Here are other Jaguars stories you may also like: