Now that the Panthers have officially entered their offseason, we turn our attention to the 2026 NFL Draft. This weekly series will take a closer look at some of the perspectives that Carolina Panthers could select in the 2026 iteration of the draft. In this series, we’ll only look at prospects the Panthers could seriously consider. This week our profile will focus on Georgia Bulldogs linebacker CJ Allen.
Biography
Allen was a four-star recruit coming out of high school and didn’t expect to see much of the field in his first season on Georgia’s vaunted defense. However, injuries plagued the linebacker corps and he hit the field with dominance, making 41 total tackles and earning SEC Rookie of the Week honors after his performance against Ole Miss. His sophomore campaign was more of the same, as Allen really took over the starting spot and defensive anchor for the Bulldogs. This season, he set a career high in total tackles (88) and saw huge improvements in tackles for loss (eight), sacks (3.5) and forced fumbles (two).
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Strengths/Weaknesses
Allen’s biggest strengths are his speed and run defense. He consistently demonstrates a natural understanding of run blocking schemes and possesses incredible closing speed. He has exceptional block shedding technique and strong hands at the point of attack, allowing him to blow up running plays consistently. His tackling technique is also solid and ball carriers rarely get away from Allen once he gets his hands on it. His combination of speed and football IQ also made him an effective blitzer, further adding to his resume.
For all his strengths against the run, Allen sometimes struggles against the pass. He has just one career interception and 10 career pass breakups. Although he has improved a bit in zone coverage, his lower body tightness makes life difficult in man coverage against athletic pass catchers. The fact that he has such good instincts against the run allows him to develop a similar feel for route concepts and zone coverage in the future, but man coverage will likely be a weakness moving forward.
Projection
Allen should be an instant starter depending on which team drafts him, especially considering Georgia’s pro-style defensive system. He has the sideline-to-sideline reach that modern defenses look for in their off-ball linebackers, and his run-stopping ability will guarantee him playing time on first downs. More experience in coverage, both man and zone, could help him truly become a true three-down linebacker.
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The Panthers entered last season expecting Josey Jewell to be one of the starters, but that plan was derailed when Jewell unexpectedly exhibited lingering concussion symptoms. While Christian Rozeboom and Trevin Wallace showed flashes, their inconsistencies and overall deficiencies (especially against the run) limited the Panthers defense at times. I’m sure Ejiro Evero wouldn’t mind if the Panthers decided to improve this position group with a player like Allen.
What do you think, Panthers fans? If CJ Allen is available when the Panthers select him in the 2026 NFL Draft, should they take him? Sound off in the comments!
