CJ Allen takes over the linebacker room

ATLANTA – Time has flown by for CJ Allen.

The Barnesville native has had veterans such as Smael Mondon, Jamon Dumas-Johnson, and Jalon Walker to look up to for his first two seasons in Athens. Even as Allen took on a bigger role himself, he still wasn’t the veteran of the room.

That has now changed. Allen is now the veteran leader of a linebacker room that will look different in 2025.

“It definitely means a lot,” Allen said Tuesday at SEC Media Days. “So you kind of dream as a kid, being able to take on this role. So now that you asked for it, man, it’s everything you can ask and for more.”

Allen said Mondon taught him, among other things, that you can always learn something new. That also comes from being around defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach Glenn Schumann, who “breaks down things to a tee.”

Allen has also taken big steps off the field.

He said he has grown the most in having confidence in himself and his knowledge of the defense. Head coach Kirby Smart has seen the leadership strides Allen has taken firsthand.

“My son needed to get treatment for the last couple months, and he would come in the office every morning around 6:50, 6:55 to get treatment at 7:00 so he could make it to school by 8:00,” Smart said. “There wasn’t a morning that we got there that CJ Allen was not already in the training room doing some kind of prehab, rehab, running, getting warmed up, taking care of injuries. He’s just a relentless worker and a relentless competitor, who got to play in some big games as a freshman, probably even before he was ready, and that’s paid off for us last year and this year with CJ.”

Allen said he is embracing the leadership role of the linebacker room. He, as well as fellow Class of 2023 signee Raylen Wilson, are now advising younger players such as Chris Cole, Justin Williams, Zayden Walker, and AJ Kruah.

This will be Allen’s first year in that elder statesman role. But he feels like those who came before him have set him up for success.

“It means a lot, knowing you’re playing for something bigger, as a team, as a whole,” Allen said. “Just, man, you’re a linebacker at the University of Georgia, so that just means a lot to be able to put that G on.”