The Indianapolis Colts found a player early in the draft who should be a prominent player for them immediately.
The Indianapolis Colts entered the 2026 NFL Draft with some notable holes but without a first-round pick to address them. Entering a win-now season, every selection had to be someone who could contribute quickly.
When it came time to make their pick in Round 2 (after a signature trade-down), the Colts found a player at No. 53 overall who could unquestionably play right away, Georgia linebacker CJ Allen.
"We've liked CJ through the whole process," Colts general manager Chris Ballard said after making the pick. "He stands for all the right stuff. He's an athletic, fast MIKE. He'll be a green-dot guy for us from the get-go. I mean, he's a face of the program type of guy. He's a really special dude now. Loves to play, serious about football."
Every team ought to love their early picks like Ballard and the Colts love Allen, but the selection was met with plenty of applause from national analysts as well.
ESPN Draft Analyst Field Yates wrote up his favorite players from Days 2 and 3 of the draft who can be instant impact players, and Allen made his list.
"Despite not having a first-round pick, I was a fan of what the Colts did in the draft," Yates wrote. "Indianapolis added multiple players who should contribute right away, with Allen being at the forefront.
"After trading Zaire Franklin to Green Bay, the Colts have snaps available at inside linebacker for Allen and fellow draftee Bryce Boettcher. Allen is an excellent defensive quarterback with good instincts, a feel for zone coverage, and pass-rush juice (3.5 sacks last season)."
The Colts traded MIKE linebacker Zaire Franklin to the Green Bay Packers in early March after a down 2025 season, which left a massive void. Franklin had been a productive player for the Colts, taking the top three spots in franchise history in single-season tackles in each of his first three years as a starter. In 2024, Franklin led the NFL in tackles, forced five fumbles, had two interceptions, 3.5 sacks, and was named a Pro Bowler and Second-Team All-Pro.
Allen offers many of the strengths of Franklin, and then some, without all of the peaks and valleys. As a run defender, he's stout and can withstand traffic in the trenches. In pass coverage, he moves quickly and changes direction well (don't let a social media clip misguide your judgment here). As a pass rusher, Allen's grade improved in all three years of college, according to Pro Football Focus.
Anarumo doesn't just throw young players onto the field immediately without conviction that they can handle it. Allen will, no doubt, have an immediate impact on the Colts' defense.