Georgia defender identified as potential ‘NFL Draft sleeper’ by ESPN
By Paul Harvey
Published:
Georgia has produced no shortage of impact defenders during the tenure of Kirby Smart in Athens. Now, ESPN’s Matt Miller is ready to identify one linebacker as the next potential under-the-radar draft prospect for the Bulldogs.
That player is linebacker CJ Allen, a rising junior who had his breakout season in 2024 as a sophomore. Allen developed into a starter for the defense, racking up 76 total tackles, the 2nd-most for Georgia.
Allen is the team’s top returning tackler, and his combination of size and speed makes him an ideal NFL linebacker prospect, according to Miller. In fact, one NFL general manager compared Allen to a pair of All-Pro linebackers in the NFL.
“You look at his instincts, his toughness, and how well he plays coming into gaps to take on the run, and he’s a throwback to guys like Fred Warner and Lavonte David early in their careers … but he’s a better pass rusher,” an NFC general manager said.
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Coming out of high school, Allen was one of the top players out of Georgia for the 2023 recruiting class. He appeared in 14 games as a true freshman before his breakout performance as a sophomore with the Bulldogs reaching the College Football Playoff before losing to Notre Dame in the quarterfinals.
Now, he will try to become the latest on the list of Georgia’s all-time NFL Draft picks.
Paul Harvey lives in Atlanta and covers SEC football.
