Tyler Allgeier discusses his first offseason program, what he's excited to do in training camp

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. – Tyler Allgeier is used to the college lifestyle. That means a full class schedule in addition to his football responsibilities, a time-consuming balance between education and athletics.

Well, one part of his schedule has been removed. There's no more class, no more draft prep.

The man's a professional now. His sole focus is on work. After more than a month of that, the former BYU running back realizes he's got some extra time on his hands.

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That's unusual for someone almost always on the go.

He is finding ways to fill the free hours, by focusing intently on his craft.

"I do have a lot of time on my hands," Allgeier said. "That's a good thing, and it gives me a chance to watch a ton of film and keep my body right.

"Football is literally my job now. I think that's the biggest adjustment, honestly. I put so much time and effort in this, and that's going to show up as progress on the field."

This year's fifth-round pick believes he made solid progress during the offseason program, which start with May's rookie minicamp and ended with last week's full-squad mandatory minicamp.

"I'm focused on learning the playbook, taking it one install at a time," Allgeier said. "I'm trying to learn the whole system, not just my position. I feel like I've made progress there. It's something I'll give myself a pat on the back for, for sure."

That's the primary focus for a running back, especially, during a period conducted entirely without pads.

Allgeier's game is based on full contact, with a bruising rushing style that wears defenders down. A serious chunk of his college production came after contact, after breaking tackles, an element of his game currently unavailable.

"It's all well and good going through these practices," Allgeier said, "but, once you put on the pads, you can show some swagger."

That's the next step for him as his rookie year progresses. That's when we'll get a better clue for how Allgeier can play in this scheme, at the NFL level. There's optimism that he could step in and make an immediate impact, but time will tell on that front. He'll have to be a tough, productive runner and someone reliable in pass protection – an aspect of the game rookies can sometimes struggle with.

Allgeier already can't wait for the pads to come on in training camp, even though that's a good distance from right now.

It's not just full contact he's looking for. It's the high energy of playing closer to real football, with an opportunity to show what he can really do.

"It's not just about fitting up," Allgeier said. "Everyone's competing hard and making solid contact. The defense is working on their craft and the offense is working on ours and things can get intense."