GET TO KNOW: Darius Allen, LB, Colorado State-Pueblo

NFL Draft Diamonds has teamed up with Joseph Muia a very solid up and coming scout, to put together a series for our readers called Get to Know. What this series will do is allow you to be a featured on our site, whether you are a freshman or a senior in college. This is a series to help get players at any school gain exposure. We always strive to assist players that have the passion to make it to the next level. So we hope you enjoy our series called GET TO KNOW. Today’s Get to know series will focus on Darius Allen the hard hitting linebacker from Colorado State – Pueblo, and we feel at NFL Draft Diamonds, you will want to know all about him.

AKA: D.A.

Grade You Started Football: 3rd grade

High School: (Lexington, Kentucky)Bryan Station High School (Freshman/Sophomore) (Pueblo, Colorado)Pueblo East High School (Junior/Senior)

Position/Positions: Running Back/Defensive End

College: Colorado State University-Pueblo

Position/Positions: Defensive End/Outside Linebacker

Jersey Number: 3

Football Mentor/Inspiration: Lawrence Taylor(inspiration)/ Ray Lewis(inspiration)/ Robert Mathis(inspiration)/ Joshua Mack(cousin/mentor)

Favorite Slogan: Try, then Try, then Try Harder.

Proudest Football Moment/Memory: First collegiate game of my career CSU-Pueblo against West Texas A&M University. Winning in a close game against a team considered a powerhouse with NFL talent and me getting in during the last series and getting my first career sack.

Funniest Football Memory: Playing on national TV against Colorado School of Mines. Quarterback rolled out to my side and threw across the shoulder to the other side of the field and Beldy Nseka who was a senior at the time, a sure interception his hands went up to catch it and the ball hits him directly in the helmet and when we walked up to him his eyes were blinking and he was waving to the light in the stadium saying it was too bright and he couldn’t see the ball when the ball literally was right to him. I still laugh about it to this day.

Favorite Food: Green Grapes & Corn

Watch Darius Highlight Video HERE

Best On-Field Performance: Every game is the best to me because I leave it all on the field and I play my heart out for 60 minutes every game and every opportunity. Though there are two games in which I had a 4 sack performance. D1AA ranked Sam Houston State against CSU-Pueblo in October 2014 & Adams State against CSU-Pueblo October 2013.

Game Superstitions: Prayers at each goalpost before the game.

Goals/Aspirations for 2014-2015: To win a National Championship and bring the trophy to Pueblo, Colorado my senior season. Also, to be drafted to the NFL in 2015 and whichever team I make I aspire to earn a spot in the rotation on defense.

Career Goals: I need to be a Hall of Fame NFL player at the end of my career. I need to play in a few Pro-Bowl games in my career. I need to win a Super Bowl in my career.

Favorite Football Team: Baltimore Ravens

Player You Model Your Game After: Robert Mathis/ Demarcus Ware

Who Will Win The Super Bowl: Denver Broncos or Seattle Seahawks. Rematch of last year’s Super Bowl match-up.

What Would You Want College Football Fans To Know About You: I’m very confident in my ability and I just want to be great. To all the fans with a close friend or relative playing football, J.J. Watt is a player I admire from the outside looking in. He’s made statements and people have bragged that he doesn’t do anything other than perfect his craft each and every day of the year keeping his body as healthy as possible and just going to work. I believe if you want to be the best you must have that type of work ethic and not care so much about the next party because like Watt said, you’ll have plenty of time for all that extra stuff after you retire. Focus on what you’ve been blessed with and get all you can out of it. Also, I’d like for college football fans to know that like many others I’m very much a blessed individual whom has been blessed to be around great people and be fortunate to be where I am today. My family has been there for me through a lot. My family is my “why.”  I believe everyone should have a “why.” I personally want to be the best at everything I do because not everyone is blessed with ability to play the game of Football and I never want to cheat the game. I want to invest all I have into becoming the best I can be on and off the field. I don’t take this game for granted. I know the risks of this sport and I love the game more because of what you get out of it. Life lessons are sought and taught in the game of football. Lastly, football is everything to me. To those football fans that have their own personal professions, I ask them to love what you do because you too are blessed in many ways! Don’t take your position in life for granted, make the most of what you do every day. You’re where you are for a reason. Try, then Try, then Try even more to become the best at what you do no matter what it is.