Sunday Sleeper: WR Geronimo Allison
Carl Knowles
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[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]After transferring from Iowa Western Community College where he help win a national title, Geronimo Allison went on to lead Illinois in receiving as a senior hauling in 65 passes for 882 yards. He finished his two-year stint with the Illini catching 106 total passes for 1,480 yards and eight eight touchdowns. Allison had a great performance at the East-West Shrine game finishing with six catches for 68 yards and two touchdowns.
Geronimo Allison | Wide Receiver, Illinois[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]
Measurements
Height – 6’3″
Weight – 198 lbs.
Age – 22 yrs.
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At First Glance
Honorable Mention All-Big Ten.
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Projected Round:
6th Round
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Pros
Long arms, tall frame and looks the part of an NFL receiver.
Quick feet off the line showing great change of direction and agility to beat press coverage.
Great body control, good hand-eye coordination with the ability to pluck balls away from his body.
Excellent down field blocker. A competitor who plays with physicality and toughness.
Huge wingspan to help win jump balls and make ridiculous catches.
Hard worker who can over come adversity. Missed sophomore and junior seasons in high school because of academic ineligibility, yet worked hard to earn an opportunity to attend Western Community College and made the most of it.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]
Cons
A good but not an elite athlete who doesn’t always play to his size.
Double-catches too many passes.
Lacks straight line speed and may struggle to be a deep threat in the NFL.
JUCO prospect with the typical question marks about his ability to handle a complicated play book.
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NFL Player Comparison:
Mohamed Sanu of the Cincinnati Bengals. Allison doesn’t have the same strength as Sanu yet, but he has the potential to contribute immediately on underneath crossing routes and in the red zone. Sanu has averaged 38 receptions per year in his first four years in the NFL, and Allison could make a living in the NFL filling a similar roll.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
The Vikings Slant
Allison flourished at the JUCO level and also in the Big Ten with his physical tools and strong work ethic. He has a long and lanky frame with the ability to climb the ladder and grab the ball at it’s highest point. With his tall frame and his ability to fully extend to make the catch, Allison can provide a big target that the Vikings are missing on the outside. Allison’s quickness and outstanding footwork allow him to enjoy success against press coverage and on quick slants or fades. Bridgewater will get an early impact red zone threat and complementary possession receiver to team with the vertical speed the Vikings already have in Stefon Diggs, Mike Wallace and Jarius Wright.
The Vikings like to occasionally throw quick bubble screens to Diggs, Wallace and Wright… and Allison is an outstanding blocker to have in front of some of those high percentage quick hitting types of plays.
Finding a big target on underneath crossings routes and quick slants is a void the Vikings need to address. Drafting a true #1 wideout early in the draft to fill that roll would be ideal, but if by chance they don’t, Allison is a nice rotational guy who will certainly find his way on the field with his strong work ethic and his ability to block. His 4.67 40-yard dash time will not move him up draft boards, but he does offers good value and production as a late round pick.[/vc_column_text]