NFL Draft news: Seahawks have virtual meeting with star Georgia linebacker C.J. Allen

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NFL Draft news: Seahawks have virtual meeting with star Georgia linebacker C.J. Allen
NEW ORLEANS, LA – JANUARY 01: ILB CJ Allen #3 of the Georgia Bulldogs rushes the quarterback during the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal game between the Ole Miss Rebels and the Georgia Bulldogs on Thursday January 1, 2026 at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, LA. (Photo by Nick Tre. Smith/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

One of the top off-ball linebackers in this year’s NFL Draft is Georgia’s C.J. Allen. The two-time All-SEC player and 2025 consensus All-American has met with several teams, including the Seattle Seahawks.

NFL insider Aaron Wilson has the scoop.

Unlike in-person top 30 visits, there’s no total limit to the number of virtual meetings a team can have.

While Sonny Styles is far and away the top off-ball linebacker prospect and is destined to go early in round one, Allen is someone who could be chosen in the back-end of the first or the early portion of the second. The 21-year-old recorded 88 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and 8 tackles for loss in his final season with the Bulldogs. According to Sports Info Solutions, Allen blitzed on 27 percent of opposing quarterback dropbacks last season.

Here’s what The Athletic’s Dane Brugler has to say about Allen:

A starter for two-and-a-half years at Georgia, Allen was an inside linebacker in defensive coordinator Glenn Schumann’s 3-3-5 base scheme. Because of his ability to handle information, he earned a starting role as a true freshman and developed into a team leader and All-American as a junior. Despite a late-season knee procedure in November 2025, he only missed one game and led Georgia in tackles, tackles for loss and forced fumbles in his final college season.

With his football smarts as a run defender, Allen is quick to sort, fill and chest up ball carriers, often playing one step ahead of the other 10 defenders on the field. He is rarely fooled by misdirection and also trusts his eyes to unlock and chase plays to the perimeter. He has inconsistent pop and power as a take-on player in tight quarters but sees and sifts through blockers with his lateral agility.

Another key stat? Allen never committed a penalty in college. Not once.

The Seahawks have Ernest Jones IV and Drake Thomas as their starting linebackers, but depth beyond those two is not extensive. Tyrice Knight lost his starting job midway through last year, while Patrick O’Connell was only a late call-up from the practice squad after Jones hurt his knee. It’s not inconceivable that the Seahawks could be looking for more talent at off-ball linebacker, even if it’s not a pressing need. Talent is talent and you don’t ignore prospects just because the incumbent starters are locked in. With limited draft capital, it’d still be a shock to see Seattle use pick 32 (or wherever they eventually make their first pick) on a linebacker.

Watch his highlights below!

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