CJ Allen 2026 NFL Draft: scouting report for Georgia, Linebacker

CJ Allen is the leader every NFL team wants as their defensive signal caller at linebacker

Travis May — College Football Managing Editor

Jan 25, 2026 7:57 PM EST

Height: 6-1
Weight: 235 Pounds
Year: Junior
Pro Comparison: Eric Kendricks, Nakobe Dean

2026 NFL Combine Results

CJ Allen, Georgia, Linebacker

Hand Size: N/A
Arm Length: N/A
40-Yard Dash: N/A
Vertical Leap: N/A
Broad Jump: N/A
20-Yard Shuttle: N/A
3-Cone: N/A

Pros of CJ Allen

CJ Allen quickly grew into the glue that held the Georgia Bulldogs defense together in his second season with the team, back in 2024. That became even more evident this past fall. He is the leader that every NFL team wants in charge of their defense. His lead-by-example style and deep understanding of every role in Kirby Smart’s defense will make him the favorite linebacker of many NFL general managers in the 2026 NFL Draft class.
Allen has become a player who is good at just about everything a linebacker can do on a football field. Is he elite at any one thing? No. However, he’s shown plenty of success in run defense (his core strength), adequate performance in coverage, and added a layer of pass rush this year that he hadn’t displayed before (four sacks on the season).
He’s a truly elite run defending linebacker. When it comes to gap discipline, attacking the line of scrimmage to limit positive gains, and an extreme low missed tackle rate three seasons in a row, it’s clear that Allen is special against the run.

Cons of CJ Allen

Allen is a good, not great, athlete for the linebacker position. If there’s one glaring thing that could stop him from being a first round pick it’s his raw athleticism. His performance at the NFL Combine will prove to be extremely important in solidifying his final profile as a true first round player.
He was a flat out liability in coverage back in 2024, and he’s improved drastically there. Unfortunately he can still give up explosive plays from time to time if he gets caught facing a more athletic matchup that challenges his agility and recovery speed.
Allen did add some value rushing the passer this year on some creative zone and delayed blitzes for Georgia, but he seldom ever wins as a pass rusher by any conventional means. His pressures have to be schemed up. That’s not a huge red flag, but teams may not be able to get too creative with him in that way.

Background

CJ Allen was a extremely highly rated four star linebacker recruit back in 20223 who stayed home to play for the Georgia Bulldogs (playing his high school ball 2 hours from Athens). Allen was decent track athlete in high school, but not a burner by any means, capping out around 11.16 in the 100-meter dash. Allen’s high football IQ and leadership skills earned him the trust of Kirby Smart and his teammates at Georgia immediately, leading to significant snaps in all three of his collegiate seasons. He finished with well over 200 tackles and double-digit passes defended in just three seasons of action.

Player Evaluation

CJ Allen is a player that likely stick around in the NFL as a solid starting linebacker for a decade. He’s smart. He’s a great locker room leader and presence. There are very few things that Allen doesn’t do well either. His elite trump card talent is defending the run — perhaps the best in the 2026 NFL Draft class. However, when it comes to coverage and rushing the passer, Allen could certainly improve. He’s a good enough athlete to not be a liability by any means, but Allen seldom flashes as the most dynamic talent on the field. Still, he’s almost certainly going to be a first round talent because of his intangibles, experience, and intelligence. Some team in the late first round is going to be happy they selected this leader of men who just led Georgia in sacks, tackles, forced fumbles, and run stops.