My Name is Devon Allen and I’m The Fastest Man Alive
A Different Kind of Bird
He’s a runner, he’s a track star, and now he is a Philadelphia Eagle. Former Oregon Ducks wide receiver and Olympic track and field athlete Devon Allen signed a contract with the team yesterday afternoon. After visiting with the team the day before, they were set on putting the speedster in midnight green. There are some glaring issues, however. He is 27 years old and has not played football in 6 years, but he impressed enough scouts at Oregon’s Pro Day to earn his deal. His unofficial 4.35 40-yard dash certainly put him on the radar. So, the question must be asked, does this man have a legitimate chance to crack the 53-man roster when the season starts?
Let’s start with the basics of his football career. Allen is 6 feet, nearly 200 pounds and played three years in Eugene, Oregon for the Ducks from 2014-2016. His best season came in 2014, as he totaled 684 receiving yards and 7 touchdowns. Besides catching passes, he was jumping hurdles for the college, establishing himself as a two-sport athlete who was part of the 2014 Pac-12 championship team as well as the 2014 NCAA champion in the 110 meters hurdles. It was clear to many around campus that, much like the Bruce Springsteen song, Allen was born to run.
After his time with the school, Allen transitioned to being a track and field athlete full-time. He quickly racked up three U.S. national championships in the 110 meters hurdles, winning in 2014, 2016, and 2018. As a two-time Olympian, he reached the finals in both the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. In his final competition in 2021, he set a personal record of 12.99 seconds and became the 13th American hurdler to break the 13-second barrier in the event. These accolades have put him on a pedestal and as the old adage goes, speed kills. It can translate really well to the fast-paced game of the NFL.
Tracking The Ball
Allen is an accomplished track athlete, but the jury is still out on whether or not he will be able to track a football after 6 years. No one knows how long he has been training or if he will have to recondition himself to the game. The athleticism is there but it can only take a talented individual so far. Despite these fair concerns, it could provide a spark and a chip on his shoulder as he looks to prove the doubters wrong. If he shows out in training camp, there may be a new Allen taking the title of the fastest man alive.