Georgia Bulldogs Linebacker CJ Allen Officially Announces 2026 NFL Draft Decision

A Georgia Bulldogs Football player has announced their NFL Draft decision following the 2025 college football season.

The Georgia Bulldogs 2025 college football season has come to an end following the Dawgs' heartbreaking loss to the Ole Miss Rebels in the first round of the College Football Playoff during the Allstate Sugar Bowl.

With the season now complete, players have begun announcing their decisions regarding the NFL Draft. The latest player to announce his decision is linebacker CJ Allen, who announced that he will be entering the 2026 NFL Draft.

The Bulldogs linebacker took to social media to make his decision official. Here is what he had to say to Dawg nation about his decision.

Allen was a member of the Bulldogs' 2023 recruiting class and quickly emerged as a star, becoming one of the rare defensive players to start as a true freshman for Kirby Smart. The linebacker was a mainstay on Georgia's offense from that point.

Much like many linebackers to play under Glenn Schumann, Allen progressively got better throughout his career and turned in arguably his best season in 2025. The Bulldogs' progression and development made him a fan-favorite amongst Georgia fans.

Impact of CJ Allen Leaving for NFL Draft on Georgia's Roster

Nov 28, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Georgia Bulldogs linebacker CJ Allen (3) celebrates after a victory over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Allen had been a mainstay on the Bulldogs' offense for nearly three seasons and emerged as one of the team's biggest leaders on the defensive side of the ball this year. Not only will the loss of his playmaking abilities have a massive impact of Georgia's roster, but his leadership will also be missed.

Luckily for the Bulldogs, Kirby Smart and his staff have done a fantastic job at recruiting talent, especially at the linebacker position. While Allen will surely be missed, the Dawgs' defense is in good hands for the future.

With Allen now set to continue his football career and enter the NFL Draft, the Bulldogs linebacker has an excellent opportunity to become one of the many Georgia greats to have an extremely successful professional career.

As the offseason continues there will likely be a handful of other Bulldog players who will make their decisions regarding the NFL Draft known. Stay tuned for more coverage on the Georgia Bulldogs’ offseason moves from Bulldogs on SI.