Now that the Panthers have officially entered their offseason, we look ahead toward the 2026 NFL Draft. This weekly series will take a closer look at some of the prospects the Carolina Panthers could select in the 2026 iteration of the Draft. In this series, we’ll only be looking at prospects the Panthers could seriously consider. This week our profile will focus on Georgia Bulldogs linebacker CJ Allen.
Bio
Allen was a four star recruit coming out of high school and did not expect to see the field much his freshman season on Georgia’s vaunted defense. Injuries hit the linebacker corps, however, and he hit the field with dominance, notching 41 tackles overall and earning an SEC Freshman of the Week honor after his performance against Ole Miss. His sophomore campaign was more of the same, as Allen really took hold of the starting spot and defensive anchor for the Bulldogs. This season, he set a career high in total tackles (88) and saw huge jumps in tackles for loss (eight), sacks (3.5), and forced fumbles (two).
Strengths/Weaknesses
Allen’s biggest strengths are his speed and run defense. He constantly shows a natural understanding of run blocking schemes and has incredible closing speed. He has exceptional block shedding technique and strong hands at the point of attack, allowing him to blow up running plays on a consistent basis. His tackling technique is also strong, and ball carriers rarely get away from Allen once he gets his hands on them. His combination of speed and football IQ have also turned him into an effective blitzer, further adding to his resume.
For all his strengths against the run, Allen does struggle at times against the pass. He only notched one career interception and 10 career passes broken up. While he has improved a bit in zone coverage, his lower body stiffness makes life difficult for him in man coverage against athletic pass catchers. The fact that he has such good instincts against the run makes it possible he could 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 the team to draft him, especially considering Georgia’s pro style defensive scheme. He has the sideline to sideline range that modern defenses crave from their off ball linebackers, and his run stopping ability will guarantee him playing time on early downs. More experience in coverage, both man and zone, could help him truly develop into a true three down linebacker.
The Panthers went into last season expecting Josey Jewell to be one of the starters, but that plan was derailed when Jewell unexpectedly had lingering concussion symptoms. While Christian Rozeboom and Trevin Wallace showed flashes, their inconsistencies and overall shortcomings (especially against the run) kept the Panthers defense limited at times. I’m sure Ejiro Evero would not mind if the Panthers decided to upgrade that position group with a player like Allen.
What do you think, Panthers fans? If CJ Allen is available when the Panthers select in the 2026 NFL Draft, should they take him? Sound off in the comments!
