MC Star Receiver Jake Allen Joins NFL's Cleveland Browns
An All-American receiver at Mississippi College, Jake Allen is the newest member of the NFL's Cleveland Browns after a brief career with the Green Bay Packers.
The fleet-footed Shubuta native signed with the Browns last week just days after he was waived from Green Bay's 53-man roster. With a record of 1-9, the Browns sit at the bottom of the AFC North standings. Allen's legions of MC fans believe he will have a greater opportunity to play with Cleveland and haul in passes from third-year quarterback Brady Quinn.
The 6' 4" Allen wears jersey No. 85 for Cleveland. The MC alumnus spent the 2008 season on the Packers eight-man practice squad. He remained on the practice squad for the first seven weeks of the 2009 season before The Pack elevated him to the regular roster in late October.
As millions watched on national TV, Allen wore No. 13 as he emerged for one play for the Green Bay showdown with the Minnesota Vikings led by ex-Green Bay star quarterback Brett Favre.
On the Cleveland Browns, the 2008 MC kinesiology graduate will find several players with Mississippi connections. Rookie linebacker Marcus Benard played for the Jackson State Tigers. In his ninth NFL season, offensive lineman Floyd Womack was a Mississippi State Bulldog. Linebacker Titus Brown, a Mississippi State product, is on the Cleveland practice squad.
Allen was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by Green Bay on May 2, 2008. Following practice squad duty, Allen was signed to the Packers active roster on Oct. 27. He was claimed off waivers by Cleveland on Nov. 18. Allen, who weighs in at 194 pounds, will celebrate his 25th birthday on January 18. He and Favre, the ex-Southern Miss star, share the same NFL agent, Bus Cook of Hattiesburg.
During his career at MC, from 2005 to 2007, Allen caught 152 passes for 2,867 yards to shatter records at the Christian university in Clinton. His 26 career touchdown receptions is also an MC record. The Wayne County High standout also played for a year at Southwest Mississippi Community College.
When Allen played at Green Bay, there was a Jake Allen Fan Club actively promoting the MC graduate in Wisconsin. There's an informal Jake Allen fan group at his alma mater in Clinton. It operates year-round in Central Mississippi.
"We are always cheering for Jake," said MC School of Education Dean Don Locke. Going to Cleveland "will give him more opportunity to play," he said Tuesday. "I look forward to him playing Sundays in Cleveland. Hopefully he will get a chance to play."
MC Department of Kinesiology Chairman Chris Washam says he and his colleagues are pumped to hear the good news about their former student. "We all hope he has a better opportunity to continue his career in Cleveland," Washam said. "We are all very proud of him in the Department of Kinesiology."
During his undergraduate days at MC, Jake "was a super super nice student. He was really a great kid," Washam said. And that's not changed since he joined the NFL's ranks. "You want good things to happen to him. He texts and emails his teachers. He does stay in touch."
One of the NFL's original franchises with Hall of Fame players like running back Jim Brown, the Cleveland Browns have fallen on hard times lately.
Led by head coach Eric Mangini, the Browns lost their last outing 38-37 to the Detroit Lions in a wild Sunday finish at Ford Field. Quinn tossed four touchdown passes in the game. MC fans are hoping Jake Allen will soon become one of his favorite targets in the NFL.
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