Michigan State Football: Kameron Allen could be “that dude” in 2021

All spring long, Michigan State football fans were scouring the headlines looking for any good news regarding the new-look roster as Mel Tucker progressed through his first real offseason.

A storyline that emerged from spring camp happened to involve the tight end room which had been depleted following the Matt Dotson departure this offseason. The group needed a leader and it got one in the unlikely form of true freshman Kameron Allen from Texas.

The coaching staff dubbed him the leader of the tight end room which is surprising given the fact that he’s the youngest guy there and there are still some veterans like Trenton Gillison, Tyler Hunt, and Adam Berghorst still on the roster. That just goes to show just how special Allen might just be after enrolling early.

Michigan State hasn’t had a true pass-catching tight end who has really been “that dude” since Josiah Price about five years ago. Since then, it’s been a crapshoot.

No Michigan State quarterback has had a tight end that they can really rely upon to catch 5-6 passes a game and bail them out when pressure is on. That’s exactly what Allen could become in 2021 for Payton Thorne or Anthony Russo.

Spartan coaches aren’t the only ones high on Allen heading into 2021, but 247Sports listed him as a potential breakout freshman and one of the top 100 impact true freshmen.

Hopes are high for the 6-foot-5, 220-pounder from Forney, Texas.

Michigan State football hoping to get with the times

Most elite college football programs have top-tier tight ends who have the perfect combination of size, athleticism, and toughness and that’s what Allen could bring to the table.

Hunt is more of a steady blocking tight end who can catch the occasional pass and Gillison has shown flashes of being that next star tight end in East Lansing, but he was basically a no-show in Tucker’s first season. He could still break out but he’s running out of time.

Michigan State hasn’t joined the nation’s elite and featured an elite pass-catching tight end with strength and route-running abilities for days but Allen might finally give the Spartans a taste of what it’s like.

It’s been a while, but Michigan State may finally have that go-to tight end that it’s been desiring ever since Price graduated.