Kaytron Allen is entering this week's NFL Draft, bringing a four-year college resume built on production, patience and a promise to hit the ground running. Asked what teams should expect if they call his name, Allen said, "They're getting a dog who's ready to play right now," and added, "I'm ready to get on the field and do whatever it takes to win."
Allen, who grew up in Norfolk, said he became convinced football could take him somewhere after his first college scholarship offer came from Virginia Tech. By then, the path had already started to take shape. As a freshman at Norview, he rushed for more than 1,400 yards in his 9th-grade campaign, then transferred to IMG Academy in Florida after that season and spent three years there building the profile that made him a top college recruit.
He said that first year at Norview still stands out. "I feel like my freshman year was my best year of my high school [career}, just having all the guys that I grew up with around me and playing with them on the same team and stuff like that," Allen said. From there, he moved into a bigger spotlight at IMG Academy, where he posted three strong seasons before arriving at Penn State.
At Penn State, Allen became the school's all-time leader in career rushing yards with 4,180 yards, a mark that turned him from a promising local back into a draft prospect with a real chance to contribute early. He said he takes "great pride" in being from Norfolk and put it more plainly: "I'm from Norfolk. That's who I am. That's in my DNA." Allen also said, "I grew up here, born and raised here, so I take great pride in it because a lot of kids don't make it out of Norfolk."
The tension around his draft week is simple: Allen is ready, but he is still waiting for the call. Asked whether he has thought about hearing his name announced, he said, "I'm thinking about it," then let the moment hang with a different answer when asked what he expects to feel when it happens: "I can't wait to get that call. A dream come true. I've been chasing the dream since I was a little kid and I've put everything into football because I love football." For one more 757 product, this week is the next step toward the league he has been chasing for years.