Lamar County native and UGA star announces plans to enter NFL Draft

LAMAR COUNTY, Ga. — Another former Central Georgia to UGA star is off to the draft.

Following in the footsteps of other Central Georgia and Georgia football stars like Roquan Smith, linebacker and Lamar County native CJ Allen announced on Monday his plans to enter the 2026 NFL Draft.

Allen, a former star linebacker and running back for Lamar County, went on to immediately contribute to Georgia.

He started to get reps his freshman year, including making his first start against Ole Miss in 2023. He continued to get an expanded role as he stepped up, as several players went down with injury.

Allen continued his growth in 2024, becoming a full-time starter and adding an extra 35 tackles and nabbing the first and only interception of his college career.

He also picked up four passes deflected, demonstrating his coverage ability. In 2025, he added more tackles, picked up over double his tackles for a loss numbers and had nearly four sacks. He also still had another four passes deflected.

Allen finished his collegiate career with 205 tackles, nearly 14 tackles for a loss, an interception, two forced fumbles and 10 passes deflected.

While his stats were stellar, many teammates raved about his leadership capabilities. Allen often brought the team together on the sideline to rally them and get them ready for the next drive.

His leadership traits earned him a nomination by head coach Kirby Smart as one of three representatives at the SEC Media Days in 2025.

The Barnesville native is projected anywhere from a late first round pick to an early second round pick. While his stats speak for themselves, he projects as a potential solid leader on the defense, which some teams may covet.

Allen joins players like Zachariah Branch and Christen Miller as talented Bulldogs to forgo eligibility and enter the NFL Draft.