BOCA RATON, FL—Shaking his head and admitting he has had the same feeling every draft for the past 60 years, 89-year-old football fan Ernest Allen confirmed Thursday that he still finds it surreal that NFL draftees are younger than him. “When I looked at this Chase Young fella, I still just kind of assume we’re the same age,” said the octogenarian fan, who recalled his surprise when the Cowboys selected Troy Aikman in the 1989 Draft and he realized the quarterback was actually 36 years younger than him. “These players certainly don’t look 21, but then I remember I graduated from college in ’52 so I must be older than them. It made me realize I’m not a spring chicken when I saw someone younger than my great-grandchild get drafted by the Jets. When I watch these games, I still feel like I could get out there and run around with these guys, no problem, at least if I could still stand up without this walker.” At press time, Allen let out a deep sigh after learning a draft prospect was born after his wife died.

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