Jacksonville Jaguars rookie running back LeQuint Allen Jr. doesn’t seem to care that the NFL doesn’t usually hand seventh-round picks the spotlight.
At training camp, he’s not just earning reps — he’s looking like a tailor-made piece for what head coach Liam Coen and offensive coordinator Grant Udinski want to build.
“That’s definitely my approach,” Allen said on August 12, per John Oehser of Jaguars.com. “I feel like when I put the pads on, I’m just as good as anybody. I don’t care what round it is. I’m ready to compete with anybody – any hour, any minute of the day – and help my team win in any way possible.”
Allen has two preseason carries for 18 yards to go along with 8 receptions for 44 yards.
LeQuint Allen Jr.’s Mindset Built for Liam Coen’s Vision
That attitude meshes perfectly with Coen’s philosophy. Coen and Udinski are building an attack centered on unpredictability — constant motion, shifting formations, and forcing defenses to guess wrong. In that kind of system, a running back who can do more than just run is gold.
In fact, during the Jags’ August 9 preseason loss to the Steelers, Allen “offered the pass-catching ability, fluidity and long strides that made him a draftable player, utilizing soft hands at the catch point and the patience to hit the right gaps,” according to an August 14 story by SI’s Jared Feinberg.
Allen’s Syracuse résumé already hinted at that goldmine: back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons, 119 career receptions for 848 yards, and 20 touchdowns in 2024 alone. However, what has turned heads in Jacksonville is how seamlessly that production translates to the professional level. He’s shown patience and vision between the tackles, burst to the perimeter, dependable pass protection, and the hands to line up as a slot receiver without breaking stride.
Versatility That Turns a Running Back into a Mismatch Nightmare
“I feel like I’ve fit this system since Day 1,” Allen said. “Whether that’s going out to the slot or all the way out – or coming out of the backfield – catching, protecting, or running the ball. It’s called running back, but what else can you do for the team? That’s what I try to take seriously about my game.”
For Coen, who leans heavily on running backs to disguise formations and force mismatches, Allen’s ability to shift roles on the fly fits perfectly into the playbook. Udinski’s passing concepts often involve empty formations with the back split out wide or running option routes against linebackers — a role Allen excelled in at Syracuse.
The rookie’s edge isn’t just found in his well-rounded skill set — it’s rooted in a relentless fire that seems to burn with every snap.
Allen even referred to himself as a “cross between an ape and a lion,” according to SB Nation’s Simon Carroll in a July 2025 story, “a hybrid that would strike fear into any other creature, let alone a linebacker trying to take him down in the open field.”
Earlier this week, that competitive spark flared up during practice when Allen got into a quick shoving match with linebacker Branson Combs. Camp scuffles are hardly a rare sight in August, but moments like that often speak volumes about a player’s mentality. They reveal someone who refuses to coast through a rep, who treats every drill like it matters, and who isn’t willing to let even a single snap pass without putting his stamp on it
“I’m not scared to be myself at the highest level,” Allen said. “That goes all the way back to my father. There’s just something about us in that DNA. I’m just carrying out that legacy.”
The Jaguars’ running back room is loaded, but Allen brings a different flavor, part power, part finesse, and part receiving threat, all with competitive energy. If Coen and Udinski are looking for a chess piece who can do a little bit of everything and do it with confidence, Allen might be exactly what they’ve been waiting for.
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