NFL draft: Michigan State's Brian Allen goes to Rams in fourth round

Brian Allen continued Michigan State’s draft streak.

The Los Angeles Rams picked the center in the fourth round with the 111th overall pick Saturday, making it 78 straight years of at least one Spartan drafted. MSU is one of just five schools to have a player selected in all 51 of the modern NFL drafts as well.

The 6-foot-2, 296-pound Allen said the Rams flew him to Los Angeles for two days of workouts recently. One of two captains for MSU’s 10-3 recovery season in 2017, Allen started the past two seasons for MSU at center and also played both right and left guard during his four-year career with the Spartans.

“I’m excited to get to L.A. and ready to get to work,” Allen said in a video posted to the Rams’ Twitter page.

More on Allen:

MSU streak hopes: Brian Allen to NFL draft, Matt Allen to play center?

Michigan State C Brian Allen is best bet to continue MSU draft streak

Michigan State's 77-year NFL draft streak in jeopardy in 2018

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. ranked Allen as the No. 9 center in the draft.

“An accomplished high school wrestler – you love that in offensive linemen, particularly centers,” Kiper said on ESPN’s telecast on Saturday. “You love the fact that he started at center 17 games in his career, 16 at left guard and five at right guard. The problem going forward is can he be effective on the move without top athleticism? As a pass-blocker, there’s concerns how he will hold up in that area in the NFL against those great nose tackles and defensive tackles. But the versatility makes him a good interior swingman, capable of backing up at center or both guard spots.”

The last time MSU did not have at least one player selected in the NFL draft was 1940, and 1938 was the only other year since the draft began in 1936 that a Spartan was not selected.

MSU’s 78-year streak is second to only Michigan and USC (80 years). Nebraska and Florida round out the five schools who have had at least one players selected since the NFL-AFL merger formed the common draft in 1967.

Contact Chris Solari: csolari@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrissolari. Download our Spartans Xtra app for free on Apple and Android devices!