Cortez Allen

Cortez Allen

Allen with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2012
No. -- Free agent
Position:	Cornerback
Personal information
Date of birth:	(1988-10-29) October 29, 1988 (age 28)
Place of birth:	San Diego, California
Height:	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:	196 lb (89 kg)
Career information
High school:	Citra (FL) North Marion
College:	The Citadel
NFL Draft:	2011 / Round: 4 / Pick: 128
Career history
Pittsburgh Steelers (2011–2015)
Career highlights and awards
2× second-team All-Southern Conference (2009, 2010)
Career NFL statistics as of 2015
Tackles: 168 Sacks: 0.0 Interceptions: 6 Forced Fumbles: 3 Passes Deflected: 34 Touchdowns: 1 Player stats at NFL.com

Cortez Lequon Allen (born October 29, 1988) is an American football cornerback who is a free agent. Allen grew up in Citra, Florida and played college football at The Citadel. Allen was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fourth round of the 2011 NFL Draft. Allen quickly became a prominent member of the Steelers' secondary who contributed to limiting passing yardage and forcing turnovers.

Born in San Diego, California, Allen graduated from North Marion High School of Citra, Florida in 2006 prior to being recruited to The Citadel. While in high school, Allen played varsity football only in his senior year and also ran on the track and field team. Allen earned all-state and all-city football honors in his one year of varsity football and was part of the 2005 regional championship team.

Allen posted 120 tackles and 5 interceptions in his career with the Bulldogs football team of The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, returning two for touchdowns. As a freshman in 2006, Allen played in four games and had one assisted and one solo tackle. He redshirted the 2007 season. In 2008, as a sophomore, Allen played all 12 games and started 6. Against Furman (October 18), Allen made a season-high seven tackles, and against Samford (October 25), Allen made six tackles (including one for loss) and broke up one pass.

In his junior season (2009), Allen played and started in all 11 games. Of his 57 total tackles in 2009, 36 were solo. Following Citadel's victory over Samford on October 31, the Southern Conference named Allen the Defensive Player of the Week for six solo tackles and two interceptions returned for 110 yards. For 2009, Allen earned second-team All-Southern Conference honors. Allen would again earn second-team honors in his senior season (2010), having made 23 tackles (13 solo), 6 passes defended (most in the team), and 2 interceptions (returned for 18 yards). Allen also made 8 red zone stops, including two at the one-yard line.