Draft month, finally, has arrived.
Continuing our series, which began earlier this month and will run until the 2026 NFL Draft begins on April 23, The Detroit News will spotlight one prospect a day who could be a first-round fit for the Detroit Lions, who own the 17th overall pick. Assuming the Lions don’t trade out, it’ll be their highest selection since running back Jahmyr Gibbs went No. 12 in 2023.
Today’s focus is on Georgia linebacker CJ Allen.
By the numbers
13 appearances in 2025
88 tackles (eight for loss), 3½ sacks, four pass deflections, two forced fumbles
579 defensive snaps (255 coverage, 236 run defense, 88 pass rush)
76 special teams snaps (39 field goal block, 27 punt coverage, nine punt return, one kickoff coverage)
Career overview
Allen was a multi-sport athlete at Lamar County High School in Georgia, participating in football and basketball, as well as track and field. He played both ways for the football team, leading the Trojans to a 10-2 record during his senior year while recording 84 tackles as a linebacker and 1,727 yards from scrimmage and 26 touchdowns as a running back. Allen was rated by the 247Sports Composite as the No. 73 overall recruit in the Class of 2023. He received his offer from the in-state Bulldogs in June 2021 and committed to them about one year later following official visits to Auburn and Tennessee.
Initially used in a rotational role in his first year at Georgia, Allen was thrust into the starting lineup after Jamon Dumas-Johnson suffered an injury against Missouri in November. Allen started the final five games of his freshman season, setting him up to return as a full-time starter in 2024. He helped the Bulldogs win the SEC Championship as a sophomore, and he developed into an All-American in 2025, posting 39 total stops (tackles that result in a failed play for an offense) and a missed-tackle rate (4.7%) that was tied for 10th best among linebackers in the Power Four who defended the run on at least 225 snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.
Allen appeared in 41 of a possible 42 contests while at Georgia. His lone absence was the result of a meniscus injury he sustained in a win over Texas last November. Allen opted to have immediate surgery in an effort to get back on the field as soon as possible, hoping to play against Georgia Tech 13 days later. To the shock of Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart, Allen made it happen: “Pretty amazing. I mean, the sacrifice he made. … He really wanted this game, a kid from just south of Atlanta,” Smart told reporters after Georgia’s win over the Yellow Jackets. “I didn’t think he would be able to, but he’s wired different. I mean, this kid — like, he’s just wired different.”
Analysis
A strong run defender who coaches have praised for his work ethic and leadership — “I don’t know that I’ve seen a kid that cared more about the team performance than CJ does,” Smart said — Allen, coupling his size (6-foot-1, 230 pounds), experience (32 starts) and smarts with the aforementioned intangibles, has tools to play at the next level. He didn’t go through testing at the combine or at Georgia’s Pro Day because his knee was reportedly still bothering him, but he didn’t lack in straight-line speed while on the field for the Bulldogs, and The Athletic’s Dane Brugler noted how Allen used his lateral agility to maneuver around blockers.
Allen, who donned the green dot in the middle of Georgia’s defense, allowed 30 catches for 317 yards and two touchdowns on 44 targets while in coverage last season, according to PFF. He wasn’t elite in either man or zone, with passer ratings against of 84.2 (86th among 186 qualified LBs) and 110.8 (149th), respectively. Allen was at his best in coverage as a freshman, limiting opponents to 146 yards on 16 catches across 182 coverage reps.
Envisioning Allen’s fit in Detroit is admittedly difficult, and it has little to do with his viability as a prospect in a vacuum. In many ways, Allen is reminiscent of Jack Campbell, who starred at Iowa and earned All-Pro honors with the Lions last season. Campbell is your prototypical Mike (middle) linebacker who excels at getting his teammates into position and defending the run at an elite level. That’s similar to Allen. The biggest difference between the two players is size (Campbell is 6-5, 246).
The Lions, after losing Alex Anzalone to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in free agency, are likely in the market for someone who thrives against the pass. But that could change if defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard deploys more nickel packages (five defensive backs) in 2026. In that scenario, it’s easier to hide LBs who aren’t advanced in coverage. The Lions put a premium on players who possess Allen’s characteristics, both on and off the field. If they’re all in on his future, they can find a way to make it work.
Previous profiles
Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq
Georgia offensive tackle Monroe Freeling
Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman
Texas Tech edge defender David Bailey
Arizona State offensive tackle Max Iheanachor
Ohio State safety Caleb Downs
Penn State guard Vega Ioane
Auburn defensive lineman Keldric Faulk
Utah offensive lineman Spencer Fano
Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy
Alabama offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor
Miami edge defender Akheem Mesidor
rsilva@detroitnews.com
@rich_silva18
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: How Georgia’s CJ Allen could fit with the Detroit Lions
Reporting by Richard Silva, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
