CJ Allen is a linebacker and 2026 NFL Draft prospect who played three seasons at the University of Georgia. A native of Barnesville, Georgia, Allen attended Lamar County High School where he was a two-way standout at linebacker and running back, earning four-star recruiting recognition across every major service and selection to the All-American Bowl. He enrolled early at Georgia in January 2023 and cracked the starting lineup midway through his true freshman season, finishing with 40 tackles, three tackles for loss and a sack while earning SEC Freshman of the Week recognition after his first start. As a sophomore in 2024 he posted 76 tackles, three tackles for loss and an interception while serving as one of the defensive leaders during Georgia's SEC season. He had a breakout junior year in 2025, leading the Bulldogs with 85 tackles, eight tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks to earn consensus All-American and First-Team All-SEC honors and finish as a Butkus Award finalist before declaring for the draft.
Measured at 6-foot-1 and 230 pounds, Allen brings the profile of an instinctive, highly intelligent defensive signal-caller who combined a 4.55-second 40-yard dash with elite tackling consistency, posting one of the lowest missed-tackle rates of any linebacker in the 2026 class. He was the green-dot communicator for one of the nation's top defenses and demonstrates advanced pre-snap recognition and zone coverage awareness. His run-defense is his calling card, as his ability to quickly identify plays, trigger downhill and arrive at the ball carrier with force is among the best at his position in this draft. The concerns that have kept him out of the top half of the first round involve his limited coverage upside in man situations, below-average arm length at 31 3/8 inches and a lack of explosive playmaking splash plays. Allen projects as a Day Two selection who can step in as an immediate contributor at Mike linebacker with the tools and leadership background to become a long-time starter and defensive captain in a pro system.
