2022 Lafayette Christian Academy (LA) 3-star CB Jordan Allen just earned an offer from the Miami Hurricanes over the weekend, but for the 5’11” 180 pound prospect, the work to land a bid from the Canes has been over a year in the making.
“I’ve been talking to the Miami coaches for awhile now, since September, so we’ve just been building that relationship,” Allen said. “I was talking to coach (David) Cooney, coach (Blake) Baker, and coach DVD (DeMarcus Van Dyke). They were saying how they love my film, they love the way I play.
“The next day, the entire staff watched my film and everybody approved of it. When they offered me, man, it was crazy. I had went on a visit there last year, because we had went to Miami for a 7-on-7 tournament and I had seen some of my teammates get offered, so I was like ‘Man, I want an offer from there’. So to get it a year later at around the same time was just mind-blowing to me.”
As mentioned, Allen was able to visit the UM campus last January when his 7-on-7 team was in town for the Battle Miami tournament, and he spoke on how the experience in Coral Gables went from his perspective.
“From the stuff I know about them, they’re a really good program, it’s like a family atmosphere over there,” Allen said of Miami. “I love their facilities out there, they’re really nice out there. I saw all the trophies, I’ve seen the indoor and outdoor fields. So to be there was really a great experience because everything was so nice and they made sure to show me around. The city, there’s a whole lot of stuff to do out there. So it just seems like a great place.”
With the Hurricanes’ promotion of Assistant Director of Recruiting DeMarcus Van Dyke to cornerbacks coach, Allen already feels like he has a strong bond with his potential future position coach as Van Dyke has been active in this recruitment for months.
“He was actually one of the first coaches I started talking to from Miami, so me and him have been tight relationship-wise,” Allen said of Van Dyke. “For him to get that promotion was really great for me, because we already connected on a whole other level, and to have him preparing me and coaching me up to get to the next level would be great.”
As for when he might be able to get back to Miami, Allen says he hopes to be one of the first visitors at UM when the NCAA lifts the dead period in April; he has also visited schools like LSU, Mississippi State, and Texas A&M in the past.
“(Miami) had said when the dead period is over around April, I’ll be able to come up there and go on a real visit and see what their program is really about, so I’m excited to do that,” Allen said.
As for other programs involved with Allen, he mentions Penn State, Georgia, Mississippi State, and Georgia Tech (all offered) as being a few of the schools coming after him hard right now along with Miami, but he stops short of naming any leaders or top groups at this point.
“The recruiting process is going crazy right now because I’m getting offers left and right,” Allen said. “But as of right now, I’m just enjoying the process and letting everything come to me. Obviously sometime during the season I’ll probably narrow it down and when I feel like the time is right, that’s when I’ll make the decision.”
As a junior in 2020, Allen was part of Lafayette Christian Academy’s state title winning team in Division III of Louisiana High School football, and the Knights’ star DB felt the season represented personal growth from him as a player as well.
“I felt like I did good, nobody caught a pass on me this year,” Allen said. “I proved a lot of people wrong because a lot of people say that I’m overrated and stuff like that, but I don’t let it get to my head. I had 5 interceptions and I had 60 solo tackles, so I would say I had a good junior season. Over the off-season, I’m working on person-man, off-man, and all the coverages, I can always get better with all of that. I’m also working on tracking the ball in the air better so I can get more interceptions.”
While Allen’s ultimate decision is still up in the air, it’s clear the school that will win him over will have built the best personal connection with him.
“What’s really important is the relationships. I want a family-like atmosphere, and I want a coaching group that really cares for you as a person rather than just a player, a staff that will care about you off the field. That’s basically the main thing for me.”
“I’ve been talking to the Miami coaches for awhile now, since September, so we’ve just been building that relationship,” Allen said. “I was talking to coach (David) Cooney, coach (Blake) Baker, and coach DVD (DeMarcus Van Dyke). They were saying how they love my film, they love the way I play.
“The next day, the entire staff watched my film and everybody approved of it. When they offered me, man, it was crazy. I had went on a visit there last year, because we had went to Miami for a 7-on-7 tournament and I had seen some of my teammates get offered, so I was like ‘Man, I want an offer from there’. So to get it a year later at around the same time was just mind-blowing to me.”
As mentioned, Allen was able to visit the UM campus last January when his 7-on-7 team was in town for the Battle Miami tournament, and he spoke on how the experience in Coral Gables went from his perspective.
“From the stuff I know about them, they’re a really good program, it’s like a family atmosphere over there,” Allen said of Miami. “I love their facilities out there, they’re really nice out there. I saw all the trophies, I’ve seen the indoor and outdoor fields. So to be there was really a great experience because everything was so nice and they made sure to show me around. The city, there’s a whole lot of stuff to do out there. So it just seems like a great place.”
With the Hurricanes’ promotion of Assistant Director of Recruiting DeMarcus Van Dyke to cornerbacks coach, Allen already feels like he has a strong bond with his potential future position coach as Van Dyke has been active in this recruitment for months.
“He was actually one of the first coaches I started talking to from Miami, so me and him have been tight relationship-wise,” Allen said of Van Dyke. “For him to get that promotion was really great for me, because we already connected on a whole other level, and to have him preparing me and coaching me up to get to the next level would be great.”
As for when he might be able to get back to Miami, Allen says he hopes to be one of the first visitors at UM when the NCAA lifts the dead period in April; he has also visited schools like LSU, Mississippi State, and Texas A&M in the past.
“(Miami) had said when the dead period is over around April, I’ll be able to come up there and go on a real visit and see what their program is really about, so I’m excited to do that,” Allen said.
As for other programs involved with Allen, he mentions Penn State, Georgia, Mississippi State, and Georgia Tech (all offered) as being a few of the schools coming after him hard right now along with Miami, but he stops short of naming any leaders or top groups at this point.
“The recruiting process is going crazy right now because I’m getting offers left and right,” Allen said. “But as of right now, I’m just enjoying the process and letting everything come to me. Obviously sometime during the season I’ll probably narrow it down and when I feel like the time is right, that’s when I’ll make the decision.”
As a junior in 2020, Allen was part of Lafayette Christian Academy’s state title winning team in Division III of Louisiana High School football, and the Knights’ star DB felt the season represented personal growth from him as a player as well.
“I felt like I did good, nobody caught a pass on me this year,” Allen said. “I proved a lot of people wrong because a lot of people say that I’m overrated and stuff like that, but I don’t let it get to my head. I had 5 interceptions and I had 60 solo tackles, so I would say I had a good junior season. Over the off-season, I’m working on person-man, off-man, and all the coverages, I can always get better with all of that. I’m also working on tracking the ball in the air better so I can get more interceptions.”
While Allen’s ultimate decision is still up in the air, it’s clear the school that will win him over will have built the best personal connection with him.
“What’s really important is the relationships. I want a family-like atmosphere, and I want a coaching group that really cares for you as a person rather than just a player, a staff that will care about you off the field. That’s basically the main thing for me.”
