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Michigan State Football: Predicting where prospects go in NFL Draft

By Connor Muldowney

Dec 5, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan State Spartans quarterback Connor Cook (18) warms up before the Big Ten Conference football championship game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 5, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Michigan State Spartans quarterback Connor Cook (18) warms up before the Big Ten Conference football championship game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 19, 2015; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans center Jack Allen (66) prepares to snap the ball during the 1st quarter of a game against the Air Force Falcons at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 19, 2015; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans center Jack Allen (66) prepares to snap the ball during the 1st quarter of a game against the Air Force Falcons at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports /

Projected Round: Mid-4th

Jack Allen was one of the best centers in college football this year. In fact, he finished second in the Rimington Trophy voting for college football’s most outstanding center, just a handful of votes behind Alabama’s Ryan Kelly.

Unfortunately for Allen, the position of center isn’t the most draft-friendly. Not many centers are drafted each season and it’s because, unlike guard and tackle, there’s only one guy at his position who can start on every team. Not only that, but centers don’t usually play multiple positions, so if a team already has three on their roster, chances are they won’t draft another.

However, he’s shown that he can make a living at the next level playing that position and could grow into one of the league’s 32 starters at center.

Standing 6-foot-1, 294 pounds, Allen is smaller than most centers entering the NFL Draft as guys like Kelly and Nick Martin (Notre Dame) are 6-foot-4. Both are projected to go in the top three rounds while I see Allen going in the middle of round four.

Allen’s low center of gravity helps him take on defenders, no matter the size, but he needs to work on his blocking in space since he can be a little uncomfortable in that area.

Next: 6. Lawrence Thomas

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