Penn State’s all-time leading rusher is suddenly on the move again.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Thursday afternoon that the Washington Commanders have waived Kaytron Allen, cutting ties with the rookie back in the middle of his first NFL season.
That news lands a little hard for Penn State fans, because Allen’s college résumé already carries serious weight. He left Happy Valley as the program’s career rushing leader, and he did it while sharing the backfield with Nicholas Singleton. His final season at Penn State was the best statistical year of his career, with 1,303 yards, 15 touchdowns and a 6.2 yards-per-carry average.
What made that run stand out even more was the way Allen finished. Penn State’s season, which opened with national title hopes, fell apart midway through, but Allen didn’t coast through the stretch. He got stronger as the year wore on and topped 100 yards in each of the final six games.
The Commanders took him in the sixth round of this year’s draft, and he earned a spot on the roster out of training camp. Allen then played in Washington’s first four games, rushing 12 times for 41 yards.
He’s only 23, which leaves plenty of runway for what comes next.
His departure comes at a time when Penn State could use a player like him. The Nittany Lions are 3-2 and have dropped both of their Big Ten games. The offense has struggled to find any rhythm on the ground or through the air, averaging just 2.2 yards per carry against Northwestern and also coming up short in the passing game through those two conference contests.
Penn State’s annual White Out Game is set for this weekend against USC, with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 on NBC.
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For Pitt, the bigger ripple may be how the ACC pecking order looks now that another young passer has pushed himself into the discussion. CJ Baileys performance adds another layer to a Week 6 slate that already has several quarterback matchups worth watching closely. With so many teams still sorting out their answer under center, the leagues early-season story is becoming less about settled depth charts and more about who can seize control when the spotlight gets brighter. [Read more 🡒]