Eastern Kentucky TE Dakota Allen "Has the Tangibles" says QB Coach Trent Steelman
The last time Eastern Kentucky’s Dakota Allen played a college down, he was making good on his Reese’s Senior Bowl Watchlist recognition. He was establishing himself as the marquee player in Eastern Kentucky’s offense.
Allen began playing quarterback in the seventh grade as he battled it out with one of his best friends for the position. One year later, Allen supplanted his lifelong friend as the eighth-grade starter. He was beginning his accent towards becoming a collegiate quarterback.
A three-year starter at Lebanon High School in Ohio, Allen started six games as a redshirt freshman for the Colonels as his trajectory toward a possible professional career in the NFL was taking shape. Everything appeared to be going according to plan.
“I came in a quarterback,” Allen said. “I played behind Tim Boyle, who is now with the Chicago Bears. I played behind him and sat. I redshirted my freshman year, and I learned a bunch. Then I took over as the starter the very next year.”
Allen would start six games in 2018, going 37-of-73 for 376 passing yards, along with one touchdown and an interception. He had modest production as Allen was learning to grasp the position of quarterback beyond the high school level.
One year later, into his sophomore season, Allen’s career at quarterback was beginning to diminish. He had as many punt attempts (8) as he did attempts passing the football for the Colonels. Appearing in nine games, Allen could sense his job at quarterback was in jeopardy.
“Then a whole new coaching staff came in,” Allen said. “I played quarterback a little more under them. Then I wasn’t starting but knew I was good enough to be on the field.”
The writing was on the wall for Allen.
With just 703 passing yards, three touchdowns, and five interceptions over his first three years at Eastern Kentucky, his days of playing quarterback were over. However, Allen was convinced he was good enough to help the Colonels win football games at another position.
Allen sat down with Trent Steelman, the school's quarterback coach. Steelman laid it out clearly that changing positions would afford him the opportunity of not working a regular nine-to-five job.
“At first, I took it as a slap in the face, Allen said of switching positions. “I went home and thought about it.”
After talking with his parents as well as close family and friends, Allen decided to embark on this new journey. The switch to tight end in 2021 wasn’t according to the original plan but was the best choice for Allen to pursue his dream of playing in the NFL.
“I don't think anyone that looks at Dak doubts he is an athletic freak,” Steelman said. “And he is just that. He has the tangibles that NFL teams will fall in love with at the tight end position. But the thing that I saw was most evident is his toughness and love for the physical nature of the game.”
Steelman’s keen eye helped Allen reach his full potential as a football player. A positional switch that placed Allen on the Reese’s Senior Bowl Watchlist after just one year of playing tight end with the Colonels.
Allen received First-Team All-ASUN honors in 2021 with 34 receptions for 440 yards and led the team with five touchdown receptions after his debut season at the new position. Allen was becoming the Colonels’ marquee offensive weapon at tight end.
“The leader Dak is and the talent that he has and how much he loves the game, I figured a guy wired and looking like that was far too valuable to be on the sidelines as someone's backup,” Steelman said.
Standing at 6-foot-4 and 245-pounds, he was poised for a breakout year entering his final season at Eastern Kentucky. He started out on fire with 118 receiving yards on nine catches and two touchdowns in the season opener against Eastern Michigan.
Reese’s Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy and staff were looking brilliant for including this non-Power-5 prospect on their prestigious watchlist. Allen was making good on the recommendation and vision by Steelman to pursue the tight end position.
In the fifth game of the season, Allen was once again the focal point of the Colonels’ passing attack, leading the team with 87 yards on four catches. It would mark Allen’s final game of the season after suffering a season-ending leg injury. He would be sidelined for the rest of the season, squashing his opportunity to join Nagy and the other top seniors in Mobile, Alabama, for the Senior Bowl.
His close relationship with Eastern Kentucky quarterback Parker McKinney would remain stronger than ever as their football partnership as one of the conference’s top connections would abruptly end. The record book during Allen’s final season would read 26 catches for 353 yards and three touchdowns.
His projected totals over the duration of the Colonels’ 12 games provide a better understanding of his capabilities at tight end. Allen’s numbers should have resembled something closer to 62 receptions for 847 yards and seven touchdowns.
“His ability to make plays no matter where he lined up on the field. Created mismatches all over the field,” Steelman said.
However, those projections were not the reality for Allen.
Allen would awake on October 2nd, knowing the injury was significant enough to end his breakout college campaign. The setback motivated Allen even more than ever to continue to develop as a legit tight end prospect heading into the draft.
He would Tweet two days after his injury – I don’t understand why right now. I do know it’s part of his plan, I’ll be back stronger, and the chip just got bigger (hands in prayer emoji) #Shakeback13
“I don’t want to put out too much information,” Allen said. “Just know I’m moving at 100% right now. I’ll be cleared here soon. In the next couple of months before rookie minicamps and things like that.”
Allen said his recovery is going “perfectly” and plans on attending and participating at the Eastern Kentucky Pro Day. Limited to just 15 games at tight end, the chance to get out and perform in any capacity should only help Allen.
A perfectionist, Allen is a naturally gifted athlete. Watching him, he looks faster than most of the linebackers and safeties he faces. He is a sleek route runner who is still learning the nuances of the tight end position. Allen has demonstrated over his short amount of time that the combination of his size and speed creates mismatches for defenses.
Like most tight ends, the mastering of both catching the football and blocking creates the players most coveted by NFL teams. Allen is diligently preparing to master the other techniques of the tight end position he considers that attract the most criticism.
“The hit on me right now is – Can he block?” Allen said. “I’m more than willing to block. I think they will see that eventually in the next couple of months when I get fully completed and ready to go.”
Eastern Kentucky alum Justin Ernest set the NFL Combine record over two decades ago. The former defensive tackle pumped out 51 reps of 225 back in 1999. To help erase some of the concerns about Allen’s power at the point of attack, he is aiming to follow in the footsteps of Ernest and post some big numbers himself on the bench.
“I’ll open some eyes with my bench,” Allen said. “I won’t throw out the number I’m shooting for, but just know I’m going for the record for tight ends. I should be able to possibly run some top of the route stuff and things like that.”
In a span of 173 days that cover his final play on October 1st of 2022 to him lacing up his cleats at Eastern Kentucky’s Pro Day on March, 23rd should provide an emotional boost for Allen. His ability to pass, catch, punt and long snap should keep him busy keeping NFL evaluators studying his film.
Allen is a Jack-of-all-trades.
However, tight end is the trade he must master to gain access to the 53-man and a career in the National Football League.
