Dakota Allen NFL Draft 2019: Scouting Report for Los Angeles Rams' Pick

STRENGTHS

—Two-time team captain (2017, 2018) who won rave reviews from coaches for his maturity and leadership.

—Quick with good short-area burst and explosive closing ability.

—Ball skills show up on tape with four interceptions; able to sink smoothly into zone coverage and reads the quarterback's eyes well.

—Gets by blockers rather than going through them; knows how to make himself small to dip and duck around them without losing ground.

—Times his blitzes well when coming through the line of scrimmage as an A- or B-gap rusher.

WEAKNESSES

—Combine testing left a lot to be desired. Ran a 4.77-second 40-yard dash, had a 31½" vertical jump and lacked ideal arm length (31¼") and hand size (9¼").

—Can be a step late reacting to the run game. Might benefit from a move to outside ("Will") linebacker.

—Doesn't do well getting off blocks with his hands or power; would rather run around a blocker, which throws off his pursuit angles.

—Will get sucked in by misdirection. Average awareness and football instincts.

—Dismissed from Texas Tech before the 2016 season following an arrest for home burglary and stealing guns (charges were dropped). Played one season at East Mississippi Community College before returning to Tech to finish his career.

OVERALL

Allen became famous on the Netflix series Last Chance U, but his on-field play has been substandard. He wasn't a standout player at Tech, but he was a solid linebacker with the chance to make an NFL roster as a backup linebacker and special teams performer.

GRADE: 5.65 (ROUND 5 - BACKUP CALIBER)

PRO COMPARISON: Micah Kiser