After a long draft process, it’s finally happened. With the 251st pick, the Los Angeles Rams selected Dakota Allen from Texas Tech! It’s been an absolutely long journey for this linebacker. The 2018 season was highlighted by 73 tackles (33 solo) tackles, reaching the 10-tackle mark twice and 8 or more in four games. Allen recieved All-Big 12 first team by conference coaches, Associated Press and ESPN. His selection makes him the first defender since Will Smith was selected (also in the seventh round) by the Dallas Cowboys in 2014. We’re all proud of you Dakota, guns up! Finishing off the 2019 #RamsDraft class with @dakota_allen40! Welcome to Los Angeles! pic.twitter.com/Wc7epYVwJj — Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) April 27, 2019<doc-sep>During the waning moments of the final day of the NFL Draft on Saturday, Texas Tech linebacker Dakota Allen was scooped up by the Los Angeles Rams. Allen was taken in the 7th round with the 251st overall selection. While this would otherwise seem unremarkable, the pick gave Allen the distinction of being the first regularly featured player from Netflix's Last Chance U to ever be taken in the NFL Draft: As for Allen's backstory, he had been a three-star recruit out of high school when he originally arrived on campus at Texas Tech back in 2014. But following a good redshirt freshman season, in which he had 87 tackles, he was arrested for home burglary and stealing guns. Though those charges were ultimately dismissed, it still led to him being temporarily kicked off of the Red Raiders' team. Following that brush with the legal system, Allen enrolled at East Mississippi Community College, which was featured during the Netflix program's first two seasons, for the 2016 campaign. After one year in Mississippi he reenrolled at Texas Tech, and went on to post big numbers, including 162 tackles, 11.5 of which were for loss, two sacks and two picks in his final two seasons there. He was also named to the All Big-12 Team. In addition to being the first player from Last Chance U drafted, he was also the only Red Raider who was taken this year. "Basically, everything you saw was what happened," Allen told the Dallas Morning News of the show this past July. "I lived it. That’s why I only watched it one time, so it was a repeat. I wouldn’t take anything away because I learned a lot from that experience, if that makes sense. “I feel like now I have something to look forward to like my faith. I also learned whatever you put your mind to you got to keep pushing through it, you have to keep grinding towards it, and eventually you’ll get it.” Worth noting is the fact that players from the show have made it to football's top league before, as other players on the show (namely Quarterback John Franklin III and Defensive back CJ Reavis) signed undrafted free agent contracts with NFL clubs. Anyway, being a seventh-rounder doesn't exactly give you a lot of job security, but it would at least seem that Allen made the most of his...last chance. Don't pardon the pun or ever even think about it again. Also if you want to read more about Allen, here's a pretty interesting longform article from NFL.com.<doc-sep>John Weast/Getty Images The Los Angeles Rams wrapped up their business by selecting Texas Tech linebacker Dakota Allen with the 37th pick of the seventh round Saturday. Allen had 73 total tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and 0.5 sacks in his final season with the Red Raiders. 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Shaquem Griffin Starting for Seahawks in Week 1 Right Arrow Icon Many fans will remember the Humble, Texas, native from the year he spent at East Mississippi Community College, during which the Netflix series Last Chance U followed the program. Texas Tech had dismissed Allen in May 2016 after he was charged with second-degree burglary. The charge was later dropped and Allen enrolled at East Mississippi CC. "There's not much to do in Scooba except get better at football and pray," he wrote in a piece for the Players' Tribune. "I spent a lot of my time there doing both. In fact, I think it was finding my faith while I was there that truly helped me turn things around and start the process of forgiving myself." Bleacher Report's Matt Miller ranked Allen as the No. 22 linebacker in the 2019 draft class, comparing him to Rams inside linebacker Micah Kiser.<doc-sep>
Texas Tech linebacker Dakota Allen became the first “Last Chance U” star ever to get be selected in the NFL Draft. The Los Angeles Rams picked Allen in the seventh round at 251st overall. It marked a new beginning for a prospect with a complicated past. He was featured on Season 2 of the Netflix docuseries, which follows college football prospects after a huge fall out of prominence. Allen ended up at East Mississippi Community College after he’d been charged with second-degree robbery and kicked out of Texas Tech. When the charges were dismissed and Allen played well in JUCO, he returned to Lubbock to continue his career. “Honestly, it was a weird experience, but also a great experience,” Allen told the team website when asked about appearing on the show. “People do recognize me from the show. They recognize me as sort of the good guy on the show. The whole experience was just amazing and I’m thankful for it because I was able to continue playing football.” Indeed, Allen got much more support on Twitter than the average seventh round pick. Many of the show’s fans seemed to be rooting for the young linebacker. After a long journey, Dakota Allen (@dakota_allen40) finally hears his name called during the NFL Draft and is officially the first member of the show to be selected in the NFL Draft pic.twitter.com/610q6ZCj4C — Last Chance U (@LastChanceUAlum) April 27, 2019 Dakota Allen is now a Ram!! Congratulations to the former Lion, just drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in the 2019 NFL Draft!! #PR1DE #OnceALion pic.twitter.com/YX430IRqOR — EMCC Athletics (@EMCCathletics) April 27, 2019 "No. 1 thing we try to find out when someone goes through adversity is what happens after that adverse moment and is there any lessons that are applied.”@dakota_allen40 | #RamsDraft — Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) April 28, 2019 Dakota Allen getting drafted by the Rams and Ronald Ollie signing as an undrafted free agent with the Ravens makes me so happy #LastChanceU — AdamConnor (@AdamConnor_7) April 28, 2019 THE RAMS DRAFTED DAKOTA ALLEN!! — Sam (@E10SAM) April 28, 2019 Dakota Allen at 251 is a steal for the Rams — Adam (@adamjohnson321) April 28, 2019 I remember him off that show. Congrats. What a blessing!! — Qwan (@Baker_Qwan) April 28, 2019