Recruiting on the South Plains | 2014 LB Dakota Allen Commits to Texas Tech

PLAYER: Dakota Allen

POSITION: Linebacker
HEIGHT: 6'2"
WEIGHT: 225
FORTY: 4.79
HIGH SCHOOL: Summer Creek (Humble, TX)
VIDEO: Clip 1
RECRUITING SERVICES: Rivals 5.5 | Scout | ESPN 79 | 24/7 Sports 86
CUMULATIVE RANKING: 0.8520
VTM PROFILE DATE: August 17, 2013

OFFERS | Colorado, Grambling St., Houston, Illinois, Iowa St., Kansas, Kansas St., Louisiana-Layfayette, North Texas, Oklahoma, TCU and Texas Tech

STATS | Per Allen's 24/7 profile, as a sophomore Allen recorded 71 tackles and 1 sack and as a junior he recorded 102 tackles and 10 tackles for a loss.

THE PLAYER SPEAKS | Nothing for free just yet.

UPDATE: Yay! Younger coaches!  Per the DMN, the younger and coaches that can relate to younger players was a factor:

"They’re a different staff than anyone else I’ve ever talked to. TCU, I had a great relationship with the linebackers coach and the head coach, but at Texas Tech it was just all the coaches. I guess it’s because they can relate to us. They’re younger, you know what I mean? We share the same interests. I don’t know, but whatever it was, it drew me to them."

SCOUTING REPORT | It is evident that the stats listed above may not be entirely accurate as there have been a handful of sacks in watching his junior year highlight video. Generally speaking, Allen is probably what this staff sees as your prototypical Bandit linebacker, a stand up defensive end or linebacker type that can play on the edge, can play in pass coverage and can play in space. Heck, Allen could really play a couple of different linebacker spots, maybe even as a weakside linebacker.

Allen plays both on the edge and as a middle linebacker on his film, he does a good job of sifting through the mess on the offensive line to get to the running back. From what I know, Allen is four year starter at linebacker. Allen is very quick off of the edge rushing the passer and can get around most offensive linemen. Allen's also a heck of a hitter at the linebacker spot, and Allen is probably pretty much around the 220 range. If he's really closer to 6'2" and 225, then he could eventually morph into a true defensive end type depending on whether or not he grows or the staff could try to keep him around the 230 or so weight to stay at linebacker.

I think this is a very solid get for Texas Tech. Very solid. It's an impressive offer list, not because of name schools, but when teams like Kansas St. and TCU are offering at linebacker, I'm interested. I want Texas Tech to get to that spot too.

Dakota, welcome to Texas Tech and Git Your Guns Up!

The 2014 Class | The first linebacker of this class.