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Athens Banner-Herald
Colts pick Georgia LB CJ Allen in NFL draft second round: Highlights, stats
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- Colts pick Georgia LB CJ Allen in NFL draft second round: Highlights, stats
CJ Allen from Georgia football is officially an NFL rookie after being picked by the Indianapolis Colts in the 2026 NFL Draft. He was the No. 53 overall draft pick.
Here's what Allen brings to a pro team, based on our observations during his career with Georgia :
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What CJ Allen brings to the Colts in 2026 NFL Draft
Allen picked up the mantle to become the next highly productive inside linebacker under coordinator Glenn Schumann. He didn’t win the Butkus Award like Jalon Walker , Nakobe Dean and Roquan Smith , but he led the team in tackles with 88 in 2025 after finishing second with 76 in 2024. He was highly respected inside the team for showing the way and was a first-team All-American in his final season.
CJ Allen highlights, strengths, weaknesses at Georgia
The 6-foot 1/2, 230-pound Allen was called on as a true freshman to start five games and started 29 over three seasons and returned after missing just one game last season with a meniscus injury. Draft analyst Dane Brugler of The Athletic called him an "excellent drive-through and finish-to-the-ground tackler,” but wrote he “can get lost in zone drops and struggles to feel routes behind him.”
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“He's basically been a consummate pro the whole time he's been here,” coach Kirby Smart said. “He takes notes. He listens. He's a pleaser. He wants to please his coaches, and that usually adapts well in the NFL.”
CJ Allen stats with Georgia
Allen finished his college career with 205 tackles, 13 ½ tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. He led Georgia in tackles in seven straight games in 2025 including 13 against Florida and 11 against Tennessee . He had 3 ½ sacks last year.
More: 2026 NFL Draft: Live tracker, mock drafts and prospect news | USA TODAY
CJ Allen NFL comparison
Allen has drawn comparisons to another Georgia linebacker, the aforementioned Roquan Smith.
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“They have similar coverage instincts and burst when keying on the ball,” ESPN’s Matt Miller wrote. Another comp by NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein is to Packers ’ Zaire Franklin , who played the last eight seasons for the Colts.
This article originally appeared on Athens Banner-Herald: CJ Allen draft: Colts pick Georgia LB in NFL Draft second round
