Penn State's all-time leading rusher, Kaytron Allen passed Saquon Barkley and Evan Royster on the record books before the Commanders drafted him in round six.
Kaytron Allen spent four seasons as a workhorse back at Penn State, capping his career by breaking the program's all-time rushing record in front of the Nittany Lions faithful. Washington selected him in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, adding a physical, patient runner with a four-year track record of durability and production.
Path to the league
Allen was born in Norfolk, Virginia, and rushed for 1,465 yards and 16 touchdowns as a freshman at Norview High School before transferring to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. A four-star recruit, he chose Penn State over offers from Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State, USC and other major programs.
Career highlights
Allen started for four seasons at Penn State (2022-2025), finishing his career with 4,180 rushing yards and 39 rushing touchdowns, surpassing both Evan Royster and Saquon Barkley to become the program's all-time leading rusher. He was a second-team All-American and second-team All-Big Ten selection as a senior, following an earlier second-team All-Big Ten nod in 2023.
2025 season recap
In his final season, Allen rushed for 1,303 yards and a career-high 15 touchdowns on 6.2 yards per carry across 12 games, the best statistical season of his college career. He earned first-team All-Big Ten honors from coaches and media along with second-team All-American recognition, then was selected 187th overall by the Washington Commanders in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Kaytron Allen
- ESPN: Kaytron Allen player page
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Running Back
- Group
- offense
- College
- Penn State
- Hometown
- Norfolk, VA, USA
- Age
- 23
- Status
- active
