With the 37th pick overall the Eagles selected South Florida safety Nate Allen.
NATE ALLEN
Free Safety
University of South Florida Bulls
#5
6:00.4-207
Cape Coral, Florida
Cape Coral High School
OVERVIEW
Originally recruited as a quarterback, Allen had just as many scholarship offers to play basketball as he did football. However, he decided not to follow the path of his father, Jackie, who was a star basketball player in Europe.
Since taking over free safety duties as a sophomore, Allen started his next 39 games and has been considered the defense’s unquestioned leader. The Honor Roll student was quick to grasp the intricacies of playing deep in the zone or coming up to be a physical presence in the box.
Nearly half of his 224 career tackles (108) came against the run. On those 108 tackles, 27 came on third-down plays. In pass coverage, he was rarely beaten by the long ball, as his ability to maintain position and mirror the receivers through their routes saw him prevent 30 of 56 passes targeted into his area from being completed in 2009.
At Cape Coral High School, Allen was a two-time Class 5A All-State honorable mention. He was rated the state’s 67th best prospect by the Orlando Sentinel and earned All-Area honors three times. He threw for more than 5,000 career yards and broke all school passing records. One of his most memorable performances came when he amassed 325 yards and four touchdowns on 18 of 23 passing to lead his team from a 16-point deficit to defeat Gulf Coast, 37-30. Allen was also an accomplished basketball player, averaging 16.3 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.9 steals in 2005-06. He scored more than 1,000 points during his career.
Allen spent his freshman season at South Florida adjusting to the defensive side of the ball. He did not see any action on defense until the final contest, spending eight previous games on special teams. Both of his tackles came vs. East Carolina in the Papajohns.com Bowl.
Expected to fill a role on special teams again in 2007, Allen’s stellar preseason resulted in a starting free safety job. He went on to start all 13 games and began a consecutive string of 39 starts. He showed that he was a quick learner at his new station, finishing second on the team with 84 tackles (65 solos) that included two stops for loss.
Allen also caused a fumble and recovered three others, returning one 44 yards vs. West Virginia and another three yards for a touchdown vs. Louisville. He would score again the following week on a 37-yard interception return vs. Pittsburgh, ranking sixth in the Big East Conference, as he produced four interceptions and eight pass break-ups as a sophomore. He would add another touchdown on an 11-yard catch vs. Oregon in the Sun Bowl.
A member of the 2008 Jim Thorpe Award Watch List, Allen continued to man the free safety position. He totaled 53 tackles with his only career sack, adding two stops behind the line of scrimmage. He also picked off a pass and again saw some action as a receiver, catching a pass for 16 yards in the West Virginia clash.
Allen was named All-Big East Conference first-team in 2009, as he finished second on the Bulls with a career-best 85 tackles (40 solos). He caused a fumble, recovered another and raced 75 yards with a blocked field goal attempt for a touchdown vs. Charleston Southern. He tied strong safety Jerome Murphy for the team lead, as his four interceptions for 55 yards in returns ranked third in the conference. He also broke up four passes, with three coming on third-down tosses.
CAREER NOTES
Played in 48 games, starting his final 39 contests at free safety for South Florida…Came up with 224 tackles (143 solos), a seven-yard sack, five stops for losses of 12 yards and a pressure…Caused two fumbles and recovered four others, as he returned two for 47 yards and a touchdown in 2007 and then returned a blocked field goal 75 yards for another score in 2009…Deflected 12 passes and gained 139 yards on nine interception returns…Caught two passes for 27 yards and one touchdown…His nine interceptions rank fourth on the school career-record list.
2009 SEASON
All-Big East Conference first-team selection by The NFL Draft Report and ESPN, earning second-team honors from the league’s coaches…Named to the Big East Weekly Defensive Honor Roll vs. Wofford and was selected Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week, Big East Defensive Player of the Week and College Football Performance Defensive Back of the Week vs. Syracuse…The team captain started all 13 games at free safety, ranking second on the squad with 85 tackles (40 solos), including one behind the line of scrimmage…Caused a fumble, recovered another and advanced a blocked field goal 75 yards for a touchdown…Deflected four passes and tied for the team lead while placing third in the Big East with four INTs for 55 yards in returns…Helped the team lead the Big East in pass defense (186.31 ypg) and pass efficiency defense (113.39 rating).
2008 SEASON
Member of the Thorpe Award Watch List, as Allen started all 13 games at free safety…Finished fifth on the team with 53 tackles (38 solos) that included a 7-yard sack, two stops for minus 9 yards and a pressure, as the Bulls ranked second in the Big East Conference and 10th in the nation in total defense (287.62 ypg)…Had a 40-yard interception return and caught the second pass for his career, good for 16 yards.
2007 SEASON
Allen won a heated battle for the free safety job, starting all 13 games…Recorded 84 tackles (65 solos), ranking second on the team…Had a pair of stops behind the line of scrimmage and a forced fumble…Recovered three fumbles, advancing two of them…Had eight pass deflections and ranked tied for sixth in the Big East Conference with four interceptions for 44 yards in returns and a touchdown…Added a third score on an 11-yard reception.
2006 SEASON
Worked as a situational backup in the secondary and also on special teams...Had two tackles, both coming in USF's Papajohns.com Bowl win over ECU...Played in nine of USF's 13 games.
CAMPUS AGILITY TESTS
4.52 in the 40-yard dash…1.57 10-yard dash…2.58 20-yard dash…4.15 20-yard shuttle…11.36 60-yard shuttle…7.04 three-cone drill…34-inch vertical jump…9’8” broad jump… Bench pressed 225 pounds 16 times…31-inch arm length…9 3/8-inch hands.
HIGH SCHOOL
Attended Cape Coral (Fla.) High School…Two-time Class 5A All-State honorable mention… Rated the state’s 67th-best prospect by the Orlando Sentinel and earned All-Area honors three times…Threw for more than 5,000 career yards and broke all of the school’s passing records…One of his most memorable performances came when he amassed 325 yards and four touchdowns on 18 of 23 passing to lead his team from a 16-point deficit to defeat Gulf Coast, 37-30…Also an accomplished basketball player, averaging 16.3 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.9 steals in 2005-06…Went on to score more than 1,000 points during his career...Honor Roll student, graduating with a 3.6 grade point average...Member of the National Honor Society.
PERSONAL
Communications major…Son of Darlene and Jackie Allen…Father played professional basketball in Europe…Born Nathaniel Ray Allen on 11/30/87 in Fort Myers, Florida… Resides in Cape Coral, Florida.
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