Tyler Allgeier - RB -BYU
Welcome to the rookie profile for Tyler Allgeier. BYU had a dynamic offense in 2020 with the help of Zach Wilson at quarterback and Tyler Allgeier holding down the backfield. That season really put Allgeier on a lot of scout’s radars as a breakout player to keep an eye on. After fully committing to the running back position over playing linebacker before that 2020 season, Allgeier put together back to back 1,000 year seasons to close out his BYU tenure.
Measurables
Height: 5′ 11″
Weight: 220 lbs
40-yard dash: 4.60s
3-cone drill: DNP
20-yard shuttle: DNP
Vertical Jump: 33″
Broad Jump: 120″
Bench Press: DNP
College Stats
Notable Headlines
Tyler Allgeier was a no-star recruit out of California, committing to BYU in 2018. Playing in only 4 games and contributing only 49 yards on the ground, Allgeier decided to redshirt his true freshman year. The following season Allgeier transitioned to playing linebacker, although he still took 17 handoffs on offense for 119 yards and caught 3 balls for 67 yards and a touchdown. In total, he played 11 games in 2019 and contributed 26 total tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and half a sack on the defensive side of the ball. In 2020, Allgeier redshirt sophomore year, he fully committed to the running back position. Zach Wilson and Tyler Allgeier became leaders on the offense and led the BYU Cougars to an 11-1 season. Wilson controlled the team from the quarterback position, and Allgeier led the backfield with over 1,000 yards on the ground and 13 touchdowns.
Allgeier’s final year in 2021, he turned in another 1,000-yard season despite Wilson leaving for the NFL and the team becoming much more one-dimensional. BYU turned in another successful season with a 10-3 record and a bowl win over UAB where Allgeier was named Offensive MVP. Each of the last two seasons Allgeier displayed workhorse status on the ground but garnered more receptions his final year (from 14 to 28). Despite doubling receptions from 2020 to 2021, Allgeier wasn’t able to capitalize with significantly more yardage. Following the conclusion of the 2021 season, Allgeier declared for the NFL Draft and participated in the NFL Combine drills. He turned in a pedestrian 4.60 40 yard dash (46th percentile), and his workouts translated to a 100.1 Speed Score (65th percentile) and a 116.1 Burst Score (37th percentile). He turned in a very average combine all around.
Scouting Report
Positives
Tyler Allgeier is a really solid overall back. Standing at 5’11” and 224lbs, Allgeier fits the bill for a short-yardage/goal line running back. He provides good contact and balance, fighting for first downs or touchdowns which is evident by his 13 and 23 touchdowns in 2020 and 2021 respectively. For a back of his size, Allgeier also possesses good burst to get to the edge or quickly accelerate through the line of scrimmage with a decent ability to change direction in tight quarters. He has a good balance of power and nimbleness and he navigates through the line of scrimmage and second level of the defense effectively. He may not be overly elusive but can make nuanced moves to change his trajectory enough to throw defenders off their direct path to tackle.
Negatives
Allgeier isn’t a top-tier athlete and that showed at the combine. On tape, he rarely displayed blazing speed and that was validated with a 4.60 40 time. Enough speed to get chunk plays, but not enough to take the top off of a defense. His splits against competition are a bit concerning as he was able to find success at BYU, a lot of his production came against lesser competition like UAB, UNA, Georgia State, or Utah State. But when Allgeier went up against stiffer competition like Boise State, Baylor, Utah, or Houston he seemed to struggle. Some of his struggles against tougher competition came from having to make faster decisions at the line of scrimmage and trusting his instincts. When he was given less time and space, his vision was inconsistent and he missed open running lanes or cutback lanes.
Another part of his game that could use work is as a 3rd down back. He’s ok in pass protection but could use improvement. Additionally, he displayed a lot of body catches on tape. He has one year of meaningful receiving work, coming in a year where Allgeier was the focal point of the entire offense. And despite the increase in receptions, he did not improve in yardage or touchdowns. In the open field or yards after the catch situations, Allgeier isn’t a difference-maker. He’ll get what’s in front of him or fight for extra yards after contact, but rarely makes a defender miss one-on-one or break off a big gain.
Pre Draft Analysis
Expected Draft Capital- Round 5/ 6
Landing Spots
Tyler Allgeier should fit into a running back by committee as a 2 or a 3 in the backfield. He can provide a really good rotational player in short yardage or goal line situations, or take more work if injuries occur in the shared backfield. Miami Dolphins is a team where Allgeier could be a good fit splitting work with newly signed Chase Edmonds and Myles Gaskin. He would be the 2 or 3 in the backfield and give needed relief to Edmonds and would come at a cheap price tag. The Jets would be another good fit for Allgeier and don’t have someone in their backfield with his skillset. He would provide a good 1-2 punch with Michael Carter. Finally, the Chargers could be looking for a cheap option to give Ekeler some relief from his workload. Ekeler is getting older and the Chargers could be looking to prolong Ekeler’s career by letting Allgeier get more touches and take over the short-yardage situations that are tougher on the body.
Post Draft Analysis
Atlanta Falcons- Round 5, Pick 8
Landing Spot
It’s rare that you see a pick this late land in such a great situation. It’s obvious that the Falcons have holes all over their roster, but late in the draft, they decided to take a shot on Allgeier. Currently, on the roster, the only running backs of note are Cordarrelle Patterson, a converted wide receiver who is 31 years old, Damien Williams who is 30 years old and has never had a season with more than 500 rushing yards, and Qadree Ollison, who has been at the end of the roster for the past three years. There was an obvious need for running back, no matter how well Patterson faired at the position last year. Allgeier has a legitimate shot at making an instant impact and is a decent bet to lead this backfield in most rushing metrics. He also provides versatility to be a high volume back if necessary in both the rushing and receiving aspects of the game. Additionally, Mariota or maybe Ridder down the road will be thankful if Allgeier takes the necessary step forward to be an effective back in the NFL as he will take a load off the passing game.
Fantasy Impact
The Atlanta Falcons already had a fairly weak running back room, and it’s not a good sign that Mike Davis leaving was a fairly significant hit to the room. But the Falcons brought in a young running back in Tyler Allgeier who should be able to carve out a significant role right away. No matter how much Patterson wants to play every down as running back and wide receiver, the team doesn’t want to be forced to give him the workload they did last season. Allgeier already profiled as a 2-down bruiser with some receiving ability, and with the Falcons, he should be able to put both of those skillsets to use. In dynasty, he’s a great dart throw at the end of the second round. His talent is still questionable, but his landing spot and projectable volume in both the rushing and receiving game is enough to bet on flex to high-end RB2 production this year. Just know he’s most likely a short-term solution to this backfield. In redraft, he’s also a solid dart throw towards the back end of drafts as he again has the projectable volume to produce at least flex level numbers.
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Image Credit: Rick Bowmer – USA TODAY Sports
