Many of the nation’s top football programs are pursuing Reisterstown (Md.) Franklin offensive tackle/offensive guard Pat Allen, who is one of the best offensive line prospects in the class of 2015.
Standout lineman Pat Allen breaks down his recruitment
Offensive line recruit Pat Allen breaks down his recruitment.
Student Sports
Standing 6’5 and weighing in at 286 pounds, Allen checks in as the country’s No. 26 offensive tackle, the state of Maryland’s fifth-best player and the No. 241 overall player in the nation, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.
The standout lineman took his first ever trip to Georgia last weekend to see what the Bulldogs had to offer. (Note: Interview was conducted before his Georgia visit.)
“I’m heading to Georgia,” Allen said. “I’m just looking forward to getting to know the area and seeing how everything is on the campus.”
There are a lot of things Allen likes about Georgia, but the most important thing is he’s comfortable with its coaches and the area.
“The program is top-notch,” Allen stated. “I also like Coach (Bryan) McClendon, Coach (Tony) Ball and Coach (Mike) Ekeler. Just talking to those guys and being a Southern guy, I think I will be really comfortable.”
Allen took a surprise visit to Ohio State at the end of May to check out Columbus for the second time. He had a good time on the trip.
“It was fun. I got to show my mom everything I saw in the program,” he continued. “They’re reforming the locker room and weight room so my favorite part is the place in general. I feel really comfortable being there and it’s a great college town.”
He has built a strong relationship with Ohio State defensive line coach Larry Johnson, who is the area recruiter for the state of Maryland.
“My main recruiter is Coach (Larry) Johnson,” he said. “I think we have a pretty good relationship. He keeps everything real and you can tell he’s a good guy. You can actually tell he really cares about the guys he’s recruiting and wants to see them do well wherever they end up. It has been really cool getting to know him.”
Three schools are standing out to the elite offensive lineman as things currently stand.
“My top three is Oklahoma, Ohio State and Georgia,” Allen said when asked to list his top schools.
When asked about Oklahoma, Allen said he’s very interested in the Sooners because he was born pretty close to the Oklahoma area.
“Coach Bedenbaugh is my main recruiter out there,” he stated. “I’m from the area (Kansas City, Mo.) so they’re close to where I was born and raised. They also have a really great program for offensive linemen and a great football team too. I also know the people there which is a plus as well.”
A couple of months ago, some thought Florida State was the team to beat for his commitment. However, the Seminoles have dropped a little on his list because he hasn’t heard from them in a while. There are also a couple of schools he would like to check out over the summer.
“They’re still in my top five, but I haven’t heard from Florida State much lately,” he said of his interest in the Seminoles. “I want to see Michigan and Wisconsin over the summer.”
Allen is nowhere close to making a decision as he doesn’t plan on announcing until late in the process. However, he does know three of the schools he will officially visit this fall.
“I would say sometime around the all-star games,” Allen said. “I’m going to take officials during my season. Oklahoma, Ohio State and Georgia will definitely get official visits. I want to see what it’s like to be treated as an actual player on campus during the day of a game.”
When it comes to making a decision, comfort at the school will be the most important factor.
“How comfortable I am in the area,” Allen emphasized. “Even if the coaching staff would change, I want to be in an area I’m comfortable in. Coaches can always change, but I want to be somewhere I’m comfortable no matter what.”
