The start to CJ Allen's career with the Indianapolis Colts hasn't been good. A player can't be defined after only three games, of course, but in comparison to the Tennessee Titans' rookie linebacker, Anthony Hill, Indy's decision to choose Allen is looking awful so far.
While Allen has barely seen the field, Hill has been a star. That includes winning the AFC Defensive Rookie of the Month for September. The Texas product was involved in 34 tackles, leading the Titans in that category, and a couple of quarterback pressures and passes defended.
Hill hasn't only played well for a rookie; he is playing at a Pro Bowl level. Allen, though, was a healthy scratch in Week 1 and saw a total of 11 snaps in Weeks 2 and 3. He has assisted on one tackle and allowed a pass completion for five yards. Therein ends his statistical impact early in the season.
Indianapolis Colts could regret choosing CJ Allen over Anthony Hill
To make matters worse, general manager Chris Ballard could have chosen Hill instead of Allen. Allen was selected 53rd overall this year, and Hill was selected 60th by Indy's AFC South rival.
If nothing changes in the future, Ballard, or whoever happens to be the general manager beginning next year, Indianapolis will be watching a player for the Titans bloom into a star, one that could have been a Colt.
Still, there is plenty of time for CJ Allen to transform into a very good player; he just isn't starting that way. The issue with that is that Ballard said, after choosing Allen in the second round, which was the team's first choice in 2026, that the linebacker was the kind of player who would be the green dot in the defense from the start of his career.
The team has said that injuries set Allen back in training camp, but he returned early in August and has been healthy since. Injuries can't be an excuse three games into the regular season. Maybe Allen was just a poor fit in Lou Anarumo's scheme. Whatever the issue, Allen hasn't developed as the Indianapolis Colts hoped and said he would.
It also isn't as if the rookie linebacker isn't already the defensive leader Ballard stated he would be, but that CJ Allen doesn't even play. Could this change in Week 4 and moving forward? Of course, but now that veteran Akeem Davis-Gaither is the green dot, that only leaves one inside linebacker spot available. Every other ILB is getting reps ahead of Allen, including fellow rookie Bryce Boettcher.
Maybe if the Colts had taken Anthony Hill, the defense would have been better to begin the season. The hope is that Allen eventually levels the comparison to Hill. Until then, Indy will have looked as if they whiffed on Hill by choosing Allen.
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