The Indianapolis Colts finally made their first selection of the 2026 NFL Draft. With Zaire Franklin gone and almost no depth at linebacker, taking Georgia's CJ Allen was a rather easy decision with the No. 53 pick.
Allen was one of the highest-ranked players at the position. However, positional value may have taken a toll on his draft stock. Still, the board worked perfectly for general manager Chris Ballard after he traded down from No. 47.
While that might not be the most exciting position to draft, Allen, like all Georgia players, comes with a strong defensive pedigree. Moreover, FanSided's Marcus Mosher believes he can follow the footsteps of a fellow Bulldog, comparing him to Nakobe Dean.
CJ Allen might be the Indianapolis Colts' version of Nakobe Dean
"Allen is a typical Georgia linebacker. He is incredibly smart and knows where to be at all times. But his lack of size and elite athleticism does show up more than you would like to see. He's at his best coming down hill and plays way above his weight class. He's not all that different from Nakobe Dean and that will lilkely be his role in the NFL right away," Mosher wrote.
Considering that Allen is coming off logging four sacks, 55 total tackles, seven tackles for loss, six QB hits, two forced fumbles, and one pass defensed in just ten games for the Philadelphia Eagles last season, that's definitely not a bad player to look up to.
Dean has been one of the best pass-rushing linebackers since he entered the league four years ago. Like Allen, he's a bit of a tweener, standing at 5-foot-11 and 231 pounds, but he understands how to make the most of his athleticism and ability to shut down gaps in the passing game or stay in front of quicker guys in the running game.
He was a green-dot guy in one of the most prestigious football programs in the nation, which also speaks volumes about his football IQ and leadership. Intangibles matter, especially for a young man who will most likely be thrown into the fire and asked to contribute and be an every-down guy right out of the gate.
Allen has great recognition skills and reads plays faster than the average player. His motor and intelligence pop out, and he's not a guy who's going to make a ton of mistakes or miss several tackles. That might not be highlight-reel worthy, but it certainly helps win football games.
The Las Vegas Raiders just signed Dean to a three-year, $36 million deal after his four strong seasons with the Eagles, including an instrumental role with a career-best 128 tackles in their latest Super Bowl-winning season. The Colts will take that type of defensive production every day of the week and -- literally -- twice on Sunday.
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