2029 Carrollwood Day (Fla.) defensive back James Allen already held plenty of offers entering the spring, but Notre Dame made sure he left practice this week with another one in hand.
The 6-foot-2, 175-pound defensive back impressed Irish receivers coach Mike Brown so much during drills that he extended an offer shortly after practice wrapped up.
“We were just talking on the phone after practice and he’s not even on the defense,” Allen told ISD. “He was saying I looked really good playing the receivers and driving on routes. It was a good feeling. The hard work I’ve been putting in this offseason is paying off.”
Allen, who ran 4.47 and recorded a vertical of over 31 inches over the weekend, now holds nearly 40 offers, but the Florida standout has a mature perspective on the recruiting process despite being a freshman.
“It means something, but also it doesn’t mean too much,” explained Allen. “It means I have to keep working. I know it really matters my junior year because some of these are coaches just interested in me right now. I have to keep working to get to the official offers in my junior year, but I’m blessed to be in the position I am right now.”
The Florida native knew the attention would come earlier than for most prospects, as Allen played varsity football as an eighth-grader.
“It honestly didn’t surprise me,” said Allen. “Last year, I really started to get into it. I blew up last year, and this year, so I guess it did kind of surprise me.”
While Allen’s frame immediately jumps out to coaches, he believes his instincts and playmaking ability separate him from other defensive backs.
“Right now, I’m best at making plays,” stated Allen. “I see the ball and I’m going to go get it. I’m a ballhawk. I can come down and break on routes. I bring physicality.
“I’m working on gaining weight so I can be more productive in the run game.”
Allen currently plays both corner and safety for Carrollwood Day and schools are keeping an open mind regarding his long-term position. With his length and athleticism, several programs see the upside of a big corner, though safety remains firmly in the mix as he continues to develop physically.
“A lot of schools are saying it depends on how my growth goes,” Allen said. “In high school, I play both, so it’s not like safety would be new to me. I can play both.”
When it comes to recruiting, Allen visited three programs this spring and gained a feel for what he likes in a potential college.
“This spring, I visited Florida, Ohio State and Florida State,” Allen explained. “When I step on a campus, I want to feel at home and if I can imagine myself being on that campus. I’m paying attention to the schemes I could fit into and building good relationships with the coaches.
As for Notre Dame, Allen hopes to get to South Bend this summer.
“I would definitely try to get up there,” said Allen. “My dad really likes the schools for the academic reasons. I definitely have a reason to come up now.”
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