Gut Grade: CJ Allen Provides Colts' Defense with Needed Stability

Picking players in the NFL Draft is all about traits, and for recent Indianapolis Colts draftee CJ Allen, the former Georgia linebacker's mind is his superpower.

Allen is plenty physically gifted, but what also made the Colts fall head over heels for him was his demeanor, mentality, and the way he processes what's happening in front of him.

"We've liked CJ through the whole process. He stands for all the right stuff," Colts general manager Chris Ballard said after drafting Allen. "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."

The Colts had a significant need at linebacker, and they were able to corral arguably the best available after Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles. The Colts got their guy even after trading back from the 47th pick to the 53rd, gaining an extra fourth-round pick in the process.

Allen was a Consensus All-American and First-Team All-SEC in 2025 after posting 88 tackles (13.5 for loss), 4.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovered, and four pass breakups. All that despite missing a game following a meniscus and MCL injury in-season that required minor surgery.

Allen is still a young, ascending player at a newly 21 years old, but has already been a starting linebacker in the SEC for two-and-a-half years, since his true freshman season.

What helped Allen get to Georgia in the first place was being a natural, multi-talented athlete. He was a four-star recruit and a three-sport star in high school, also participating in basketball and track and field. Allen was an early enrollee for the Bulldogs and hit the ground running.

He's known for having exceptional character. Allen was a team captain in 2025 and a member of the SEC Student-Athlete Leadership Council and the SEC Football Leadership Council. He was a semifinalist for the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award and a finalist for the Lott IMPACT Trophy, which recognizes the nation's top defender with Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community, and Tenacity.

Allen has been entrusted by revered defensive mind Kirby Smart, Georgia's head coach, with the MIKE linebacker duties, which means relaying the Bulldogs defense to his teammates.

"It started as a true freshman, and he wore it (the green dot designation)," Ballard said. "Like that's hard to do, and in that defense. They stress them now. They stress them mentally. So, he handled that at a young age, and it wasn't too big for him. I’ve been fortunate now to be around some really good ones. Anthony Walker Jr. is about as smart as they come, and he picked it up pretty quick here. I would expect CJ to do the same thing."

While Allen is now known more for his cerebral play and leadership than for his explosive athleticism, his athleticism is still very much present. He ran a 4.47-second 40-yard dash this spring, verifying the sideline-to-sideline range he put on tape.

He is easily one of this year's best run-defending linebackers, as his stocky 6'0", 230-pound frame would suggest. According to Pro Football Focus, Allen got a grade of 88.6 against the run in 2025, which was tied for seventh among draft-eligible linebackers. The number was even better the year before, as his 89.8 in 2024 ranked second.

He is a very sure tackler, never with more than eight missed tackles in a season. His career missed tackle rate of 7.4 is a very good mark.

Some teams may be more rigid in their size parameters at linebacker, so Allen, being under 6'1" and with arms measuring 31.5 inches, may not possess the length that those teams covet. That used to be how Ballard operated.

For how productive Allen is in general, he has produced very few splash plays. He had just one interception, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovered, and 10 pass breakups in 41 career games at Georgia.

While Ballard described Allen as "fast and violent," I did feel as if Allen could play with more urgency when attacking the ball. He'll go get the ball carrier in the backfield, but you can tell he's thinking while in pursuit and not necessarily going "all gas, no breaks."

Last, while some deficiencies in coverage are a bit overblown, Allen's abilities against the pass aren't yet up to the level of his run defense. He should be able to develop further instincts in zone coverage with the more experience he earns. He's not a detriment in coverage, however, as he does also have 140 snaps lined up in the secondary.

The Colts needed to come out of the second round with a difference-maker in the front seven, and they did just that, although Allen's lack of takeaways does give me pause.

While edge rusher Gabe Jacas and off-ball linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. were both still on the board, the Colts opted for the player they felt surest about, and a player in Allen who they expect to be the leader and centerpiece of their defense for years to come.

Comparing the NFL to the college game isn't exactly apples to apples, but for what the eye test showed us, and the stats and grades verify, the Colts are getting an upgrade across the board at MIKE linebacker.