Position	SS	Height	6’1
School	South Carolina	Weight	202
Class	Senior	40 Time	4.60
Grade	3rd Round

Athleticism:

Tall and lanky safety prospect with very long arms. Not overly athletic and is a bit tight in the hips. Has below average range for a safety and struggles to change directions quickly. Plays fast in small areas and possess a great burst. Only average straight-line speed and shouldn’t time well however plays faster. A linebacker with the build of a safety.

Grade: 2.0

Instincts:

Instinctive player who always finds himself around the ball. Excellent in the box and recognizes the run well. Rarely takes false steps when defending the run. Doesn’t do as well in coverage however. Can get caught looking into the backfield and abandoning his assignment. Lacks the speed and fluidity to make up for a mistake.

Grade: 3.0

Coverage:

Plays a hybrid linebacker/safety role for South Carolina. Rarely lines up as a traditional safety. Will have to adjust to new position and playing deeper down the field. Can match up with most tight ends and likes to be very physical, limiting separation. Will have trouble manning up on receivers in the slot as he lacks the fluidity to stick with them. Still has to work on his fundamentals. Has a very high and tight backpedal and prefers to shuffle into his drop. Has to clean up his footwork. Is at his best near the line of scrimmage.

Grade: 2.0

Run Support:

Probably the best run support “safety” in this class since he plays a linebacker type role. Excellent tackler who rarely misses once he gets his initial hit. Tough player who isn’t afraid to take on blocks. Does a solid job of stacking and shedding and can make plays through traffic. Has the 6th sense to just make plays in the run game. Generally takes good angles but again not from a traditional safety position. Breaks down well in space and delivers a good pop when hitting.

Grade: 4.5

Ball Skills:

His long arms will certainly help him break up passes. Shows the ability to turn and locate the football and can play the ball. Hasn’t gotten his hands on a lot of passes while at SC but did manage 3 interceptions as a senior. Is usually coming downhill and is rarely asked to play over-the-top coverage.

Grade: 2.5

Intangibles:

A 3 year starter who found a home playing the “spur” position at South Carolina. Saw time at strong-side linebacker early in his career at SC. Involved in a minor incident on campus in his first year at SC. Has no major injury history and no other off-field issues. A bit of a tweener who will have to find a place in the NFL. Plays like a linebacker but has the body of a safety. A football player who you want out on the field because he simply makes plays.

Grade: 3.0

Outlook:

You may be reading this scouting report thinking Antonio Allen is average at best but I’m a big fan of his. He’s a guy that I’d like to get on the field as much as possible because he makes plays. He’s an excellent run defender and could start as an in-the-box strong safety similar to Bernard Pollard. While many are quick to hate on Pollard because of his lack of coverage skills, he’s one of the best safeties in the league in terms of run support. Allen could even see time as a nickle linebacker. Bottom line, he’s an excellent run defender and below average in coverage. You put him in a position to succeed and he’ll reward you.