2023 NFL Draft Prospect Interview: Allen Smith, RB, Brown University

• Name: Allen Smith
• Position: Running Back
• College: Brown University
• Height: 5’11
• Weight: 208
• Twitter: @allensmith39
• Instagram: @allensmith39

What makes you a top prospect at your position in the 2023 NFL Draft?

I have proven myself to be as effective as anyone at the running back position at the college level. My ability to run, catch, and block make me a top prospect to be able to have success at the NFL level. Additionally, my testing numbers are among the top at any position. 

At what age were you first interested in the sport of football?

I was first interested in football at a very young age, around 7 years old.

What is one thing that NFL teams should know about you?

One thing NFL teams should know about me is I was the fifth-ever two-time captain at Brown University. 

If you could donate to one cause in the world, what would it be?

I would donate to a ministry that has a focus on youth sports development. I have a passion for giving every kid that wants to be involved in sports the opportunity to do so.

What is the best advice you have ever received?

The best advice I have ever received is if it sounds too good to be true, it is. 

Who was your childhood hero?

Martin Luther King Jr.

Who is the most underrated teammate in your locker room at your school?

The most underrated player in our locker room is Sean Kelly because, although he is not a starter, his energy and the way that he plays the game is infectious.

What is your biggest pet peeve?

My biggest pet peeve is when people do not accept compliments.

Overcoming adversity is what defines character, what was the hardest moment in your life to overcome?

The hardest moment in my life I had to overcome was being in a completely new area of the country going to Brown my freshman year, then having pneumonia my first day on campus and having to deal with that alone. It caused me to miss the first few days of pre-season camp which put me behind in what had been a lifelong dream of mine: playing D1 college football. I had to overcome the challenges of being sick and starting behind the returning running backs and other freshmen, but I was able to work extra hard to learn the playbook, get back to full health, and earn the starting position.

Tell me something about your school and why it is so special to you?

Brown is unique because of the opportunity it provides to pave your own path. It is special to me because it gave me the opportunity to earn a world-class education as well as play D1 football and be able to pursue a lifelong NFL dream.

What is your favorite snack food?

My favorite snack food is trail mix. 

What is the best part of football?

The best part of football is the brotherhood it creates. There is nothing like being able to grind and go to war with 100 other guys that have each other’s backs and go through struggles and adversity together; it creates a special bond.

If you could sell yourself in one sentence what would you say?

I am a passionate leader and hard worker and have proven myself to thrive and make positive impacts in any position or role that I have taken on or been put in.

If you could compare your play to one player in the NFL who would it be?

I would compare myself to James Conner because we have very similar running styles. 

If you could have dinner with three people dead or alive, who would it be and why?

I would have dinner with Martin Luther King Jr., Michael Jordan, and Jesus. I would have dinner with MLK because despite being hated and doing the unpopular thing, he never backed down from standing up for what was right and did not let the most challenging circumstances deter his mission. I would have dinner with Jordan because he is the GOAT and worked harder than anyone to become that, so I would like to hear from him what rising to the top took. Lastly, I would like to have dinner with Jesus because faith is the most important thing in my life, and he changed the world forever.