CJ Allen NFL Draft 2026 Scouting Report for Indianapolis Colts LB

Matt HolderOct 12, 2025

The Indianapolis Colts selected Georgia LB CJ Allen with the No. 53 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft.

CJ Allen is a top-tier athlete who is great in coverage and has enormous potential at just 21 years old to develop into a linebacker who never has to come off the field in the NFL.

Allen is 6'1", 230 pounds, and went to Georgia as a 4-star recruit in the 2023 class, per 247Sports. He immediately saw the field as a true freshman, participating in all 14 games with five starts to collect 40 tackles, three tackles for loss, a sack and two passes defended.

He was a full-time starter as a sophomore and racked up 76 tackles, three TFLs, an interception and four passes defended. This past season, Allen posted 88 tackles, eight TFLs, 3.5 sacks and four PDs to become a consensus All-American and first-team All-SEC performer.

Matt Holder has been a part of B/R's Scouting Department for four seasons. He also writes about the Las Vegas Raiders and NFL draft for SB Nation's Silver and Black Pride, and co-hosts a YouTube Channel, Tape Don't Lie, providing film breakdowns and more draft prospect analysis.

Highlights

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Scroll down for the complete scouting report.

Where He Wins

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL: AUG 30 Marshall at Georgia

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- Very good athlete and smooth mover to cover tight ends and running backs when playing man coverage or tighten throwing windows in zone.

- Impressive hand-eye coordination and vertical jump to make plays on the ball in the air that most linebackers won't.

- Good speed to help carry wide receivers on vertical routes when playing Tampa 2 and gives him sideline-to-sideline range against the run.

- As a run defender, Allen can defeat blocks with his athleticism and a shoulder dip move.

- Also, he takes on blocks with his hands and has good pad level to get some extension and be solid at holding his ground.

- Sure tackler who wraps up and consistently brings running backs to the ground, has had very few misses in his career.

Areas of Improvement

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AP Photo

- Doesn't have much pop behind his pads when coming downhill, offensive linemen can absorb contact from him. Allen could afford to add some extra mass.

- Can be slow to key and diagnose run plays, leading to him getting caught in the trash or offensive linemen beating him to the spot.

- Late run-pass transitions against play action, leaving the middle of the field open.

- Showed a few mental lapses in coverage, occasionally playing the wrong assignment and leaving his man or area open, or taking the cheese on checkdowns in zone coverage.