Marcus Allen, Sr. CB
6-foot-1.5, 190 pounds
And just like that, Marcus Allen is one of the old heads in North Carolina’s secondary room.
It seems like just a few weeks ago he was making his first start as a true freshman in the ACC Championship Game, one the Tar Heels lost to Clemson. Since then, he has turned into a consistently reliable cover man and is getting better stopping the run.
It was the physical part Allen had to adjust to the most, well alongside the mental aspect of when things go wrong. That is something that passed the test last season in a home win over Wake Forest.
“You’ve got to move on,” Allen said about a flag called on him in the game. Tuesday at the Kenan Football Center. “That play, there’s really nothing you can do, you’ve just got to move on and keep playing. Don’t change anything.”
Allen then stepped up and made some key plays in the Tar Heels’ win. That, coupled with his length, improved anticipation for the ball, coverage skills, and now being taught by Bill Belichick’s staff are reasons to project a big season this fall.
As we are doing all spring and summer, here is a dive into Allen’s numbers:
2024 Stats:
*12 games, 731 snaps, 36 tackles, 6 missed tackles, 1 TFL, 2 INTs, 10 STOPs (plays that result in failures for the opposing offense), 53 targets allowing 28 receptions for 454 yards and 1 TD.
Career Stats:
*39 games, 1,821 snaps, 101 tackles, 3 TFLs, 3 INTs, 14 Pass Deflections, 21 missed tackles, 21 STOPs, 132 targets allowing 79 receptions for 1,127 yards and 5 TDs.
2025 Outlook:
Allen is plenty of natural gifts and he’s a smart player. He and UNC’s other DBs weren’t helped at times by a pass rush that was inconsistent. But he still showed there’s a learning curve in process. Experience and a new staff might be the best thing for Allen to take the next step.
An All-ACC season, even honorable mention, should be projected. Allen carries that look and has the developed and proven mental toughness to play for Belichick. If some Tar Heels on defense make huge jumps this season under the new staff, Allen is one of the leading candidates.
