One Georgia Bulldog selected in first-round of 2026 NFL mock draft

Syndication: Florida Times-Union — Georgia Bulldogs linebacker CJ Allen (3) breaks up a pass intended for Florida Gators wide receiver Tank Hawkins (10) during the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football matchup Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The Georgia Bulldogs defeated the Florida Gators 34-20. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]

Over the past few years, the NFL Draft has turned into three days of free advertising for Georgia‘s recruiting staff. Since 2020, the Bulldogs have had 55 players drafted, the most of any college program in that period. That includes 16 first-round picks.

While the 2026 NFL Draft is still 10 months away, Georgia already looks set to have at least one more Bulldog go on Day 1. Per ESPN’s Matt Miller, who just released his latest first-round mock draft, junior inside linebacker CJ Allen is worthy of hearing his name called in the first round.

Miller projects Allen to go off the board with the No. 26 overall pick to the Los Angeles Chargers. That is the pick after Allen’s former Georgia teammate and now Penn State cornerback AJ Harris is selected by the Washington Commanders.

“Sometimes when you’re watching film, a player jumps out as a perfect fit for an NFL scheme or coach. That’s what Allen is with Jim Harbaugh, as the 6-foot-1, 235-pounder fits the mold of linebackers that Harbaugh had with the 49ers and what he recruited at Michigan,” Miller writes. “Allen crashes rushing lanes with power while showing the agility to excel in pass coverage. He’s protected by Georgia’s top-tier defensive line, but Allen’s read-and-react ability makes him a good bet to be an immediate NFL starter.”

If projected draft status is anything to go by, Allen could find himself in the running to win the Butkus Award, an honor that his former teammate and now Atlanta Falcons rookie Jalon Walker just captured this past season.

Miller has Allen projected as the second-best linebacker in the draft class; Texas’s Anthony Hill is the only linebacker who is predicted to be drafted higher.

As a true sophomore, Allen played in all 14 games this past season. He finished second on the team in tackles with 76, three of those for loss, with one interception, and four passes defended. After breaking out as a true freshman following an injury to Jamon Dumas-Johnson, last season was Allen’s first as a first-time starter on Georgia’s defense.

As a freshman, Allen started in five of his 14 appearances. He totaled 41 tackles, three for a loss, a sack, and two passes defended.

If Allen can continue to make the strides he showed from his freshman to sophomore year, then finishing as a finalist for the Butkus Award could be a legitimate expectation for his junior season.