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C.J. Allen Scouting Report
By Charlie Campbell
Strengths:
- Instinctive
- Excellent run defender
- Quick to the sideline
- Good tackler
- Hard hitter
- Very physical
- Will take on blocks
- Can shed blocks and make tackles
- Diagnosis skills
- Read-and-react skills
- Fits a 4-3 or 3-4 defense
- Always around the ball
- Quick to the flat
- Effective zone coverage linebacker
- Can help cover against tight ends and running backs
- Can drop into zone coverage
- Good vision in zone
- Disrupts passing lanes
- Leader
- Ready to compete immediately
- Experienced and successful against good college programs
- Can make the calls and lead the defense
Weaknesses:
- Not an elite athlete
Prospect Summary:
Over the past three seasons, Allen has emerged and shown improvement each season in Athens. As a freshman in 2023, Allen had 41 tackles with two breakups. In 2024, he totaled 76 tackles with an interception and four passes broken up. In his final season, Allen was all over the field and the best player on the Georgia defense. In 2025, Allen had 88 tackles, 3.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and four passes broken up.
In run defense, Allen is big and physical in the tackle box. He is instinctive and fast to read his keys to get in position to make tackles. Allen is strong to take on and shed blocks with a quick burst to fire to the ball carrier. With his strength and physical attitude, Allen will hit hard and put ball carriers into the turf with force. Allen is quick, instinctive, big, and could be a three-down middle linebacker in the NFL.
In pass coverage, Allen is a skilled zone coverage linebacker who does a good job of covering the flat. He shows athleticism in space and is adept at tracking down receivers to make tackles in the open field. Allen moves well in zone coverage and also shows some ability to cover tight ends or backs in man coverage. Allen’s pass coverage is solid to be a three-down starter in the NFL.
In the 2026 NFL Draft, Allen looks like a first-round pick, and some team sources think he could go in the top-20. Check out my latest 2026 NFL Mock Draft
Prospect Comparison:
Bobby Wagner. In terms of style of play, Allen reminds me of Wagner. Allen may not become as good as Wagner was in his career, but they have a similar playing style.
RELATED LINKS:
Fantasy Football Rankings - April 5
2026 NFL Mock Draft - March 31
NFL Picks - Feb. 9
NFL Power Rankings - Jan. 26
