College Coach Says Jaguars Got Hidden Gem in LeQuint Allen

There was white smoke at the Vatican on Thursday but the Jacksonville Jaguars sent their own signals to the NFL two weeks ago.

New general manager James Gladstone made a bold trade to select Travis Hunter, the draft’s most dynamic player. Hunter is expected to easily lead the NFL in snaps but he wasn’t the only ironman the Jaguars drafted last month.

Jacksonville’s final selection, No. 236 in the seventh round, was running back LeQuint Allen from Syracuse. Last of Gladstone’s nine picks but certainly not least, Allen played more snaps than any FBS running back and led all players at his position in receptions.

“The Jaguars have a hidden gem in LeQuint,” Syracuse offensive coordinator Jeff Nixon said Thursday on 1010XL’s Hacker After Dark. “He is a true three-down running back who can do it all. That’s what they’re looking for in the NFL at that position. He can run every single run scheme.

“We threw the ball a lot this year, so he takes great pride in being a great pass protector and can really catch the ball out of the backfield. He probably had the best hands on our team. He was a player that we really didn’t want to take off the field.”

A 6-0, 204-pound underclassman, Allen and Arizona State’s Cam Skattebo were the only FBS players to reach 1,000 yards rushing and 500 yards receiving in 2024. Draft expert Dane Brugler, who likes Allen’s chances of succeeding in the NFL as a committee back and special-teamer, graded him as a fourth- or fifth-round pick.

“You're getting a true competitor,” Nixon added, “someone who's going to be one of the toughest guys on the field and someone who loves football. He loves the process of working and getting better on a daily basis. I’m looking for LaQuint to do great things there in Jacksonville.”

So are Gladstone and head coach Liam Coen, who drafted both Allen and Virginia Tech’s Bhayshul Tuten at running back. That’s significant considering that ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler reported this week he expects those Jaguars rookies to get plenty of reps in training camp.

“I've talked to multiple people in the league who believe the new regime is not so high on Travis Etienne Jr., and Tank Bigsby has a fumbling issue,” Fowler wrote.

Ensure you follow on X (Twitter) @JaguarsOnSI and @_John_Shipley and weigh in on Allen!

Please let us know your thoughts on Allen when you like our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.