In advance of today’s announcement, here are my notes on Mike Allen:
DE MIKE ALLEN (Lanier HS / Buford, GA)
Ranking: Rivals 4-star and the #169 overall player in the country. #88 overall recruit in the country on RankByOffers.com.
Offers: Too many to list, including nearly all of the SEC schools
Official Nike Measures: 6’6 / 241 at The Opening regionals in Atlanta in March
Background: Mike Allen first received attention in the summer of 2015 as a rising junior. Despite limited game film, Allen was recognized for his measurables and camp performances. Once Allen had a full year of game film the offers flew in. Some schools (mostly 3-4 defenses) recruited him as an OLB, but the majority recruited him as a hand-in-the-dirt DE that could occasionally be dropped into coverage. Allen continues to draw high praise for his measurables, effort, character and now his production as well. He had a very strong junior year (15 tackles for loss, 8 sacks, 6 pass breakups, 2 INTs and 2 defensive TDs). Allen has only one year under his belt as a starter, so this will be another important year in his development. He’s not expected to arrive at college as a finished product. College programs will look to continue his weight and strength development and well as continuing to refine his technique (while he generally did well at elite camps this spring, he was occasionally beaten badly in 1-on-1s when his technique was poor). His film shows high-end athleticism and he has competed in the 100m (12.21) and high jump (5’10) this year in addition to throwing the discus and shot put. Curiously, that athleticism didn’t necessarily translate to the Nike combines where his overall score was brought down by a below average vertical jump and a relatively pedestrian short shuttle (his 40 time and power ball toss were solid for a DL).
Recruitment: Vandy was Allen’s first offer, but Wake wasn’t far behind after Allen attended the Underclassman Camp in Winston-Salem in July 2015. Allen visited Georgia, Georgia Tech, Duke, South Carolina and Vanderbilt, but it was Tennessee and Wake that emerged as his favorites. Tennessee made him a priority, developed strong relationships and he obviously enjoyed each of the visits that he took there. It’s worth noting that Allen’s family lived in Tennessee when he was younger. Wake made him one of the top targets in the 2017 class from the very beginning of the cycle and he reportedly developed a very strong relationship with Coach Cohen in particular. Allen visited for Junior Day and the Spring Game in addition to other unofficial visits. In addition to his relationships with the coaching staff, Allen has long praised Wake’s smaller class sizes as a differentiator for him. Allen’s mother has reportedly been influential and pro-Wake, but is thought to have “signed off” on both Wake and Tennessee.