Four years ago, Colts general manager Chris Ballard didn't have a first round pick but had his eye on snagging a rangy, fast wide receiver from Cincinnati with his first pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Instead of taking Alec Pierce with the No. 42 overall pick, though, Ballard traded down 11 spots with the Minnesota Vikings, adding a third round pick in the process. He still got Pierce with the 53rd pick. And then, with that third rounder he picked up from Minnesota, he drafted Central Michigan tackle Bernhard Raimann.
Four years later, Pierce and Raimann are foundational pieces to the Colts' offense, with each earning market-rate new contracts in the last eight months.
And, four years after knocking back 11 picks despite not having a first round selection, Ballard went back to the same well – this time with his eye on adding a pick and still getting an athletic, physical and smart MIKE linebacker from an SEC powerhouse. Coincidentally, Ballard wound up in the same spot he was with Pierce, holding the 53rd overall pick after trading back with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Friday night.
The Colts didn't go as far back – from 47 to 53 in 2026 – and added a fourth round pick (No. 135 overall) from the Steelers, while also swapping seventh round selections. But that extra fourth rounder may come in handy on Saturday as Ballard looks to build upside and depth across the Colts' roster on Day 3.
And he still got Georgia linebacker CJ Allen anyway.
"We've liked CJ through the whole process," Ballard said Friday. "He stands for all the right stuff. He's an athletic, fast MIKE. He'll be a green-dot guy for us from the get-go. I mean, he's a face of the program type of guy. He's a really special dude now. Loves to play, serious about football. It's evident when you watch Georgia tape. I mean, he shows up and look, I mean (head coach) Kirby (Smart) and (defensive coordinator) Will Muschamp, ... they were effusive in what kind of player this kid is. It's a good fit for us."
Ballard revealed he considered trading back again from pick No. 53, but the risk of losing Allen was significant enough he didn't take it. Notably, the Minnesota Vikings drafted Cincinnati linebacker Jake Golday two picks before the Colts went on the clock; at No. 60 overall, the Tennessee Titans selected Texas linebacker Anthony Hill Jr. Add in Texas Tech's Jacob Rodriguez going at No. 43 to the Miami Dolphins, and there was a bit of a run on linebackers in the second round – so kicking back further from 53 very well could've resulted in Allen going elsewhere.
"We were just at a point with CJ – we didn't want to lose him." Ballard said. "We'd already kind of played with fire once when we moved back. Our analytics team, Greg (Starek) and them do a great job – kind of where guys are going to go and target. We thought we could kick back and still get him. We had one more chance and we're like, 'No, let's don't chance it.'"
In Allen, the Colts brought in a player who could be a direct replacement for veteran Zaire Franklin, who was traded to the Green Bay Packers for defensive tackle Colby Wooden in March. Allen first earned a starting role at Georgia as a freshman in 2023, no small feat for a program that's produced highly picked and highly paid off-ball linebackers like Roquan Smith, Quay Walker and Nakobe Dean over the last decade. His blend of athleticism, instincts, work ethic and football IQ made him a standout in the crucible of Athens, Ga., and are all traits Ballard and the Colts believe can translate quickly to the NFL.
"It started as a true freshman and wore (the green communications dot) – like that's hard to do," Ballard said. "And in that defense, they stress them, now. They stress them mentally. He handled that at a young age, and it wasn't too big for him. I've been fortunate now to be around some really good ones. Like Anthony Walker Jr. (a 2017 fifth round pick) is about as smart as they come and he picked it up pretty quick here. I would expect CJ to do the same thing."
The Indianapolis Colts selected CJ Allen in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Take a look at photos from his time at Georgia.
Georgia linebacker CJ Allen (3) sets up for a play against Alabama during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)
Georgia linebacker CJ Allen (3) sets up for a play against Alabama during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)
Georgia linebacker CJ Allen (3) in action during an NCAA football game against Marshall on Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025, in Athens, Ga. Georgia won 45-7. (AP Photo/Mike Buscher)
Georgia Bulldogs linebacker CJ Allen (3) reacts after a missed field goal during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Alabama, Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)
Georgia inside linebacker CJ Allen (3) defends during the first half of an NCAA football game against Alabama on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025 in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)
Georgia inside linebacker CJ Allen (3) defends during the first half of an NCAA football game against Kentucky on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025 in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)
Georgia linebacker CJ Allen (3) chases Mississippi quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, right, during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025, in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)
Georgia linebacker CJ Allen (3) reacts during pregame warmups before the start of an NCAA college football game against Charlotte, Saturday, Nov. 22, 2025, in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)
Georgia linebacker CJ Allen (3) hits Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson (15) during the second half of a Southeastern Conference championship NCAA college football game, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Georgia linebacker CJ Allen (01) speaks during a press conference at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Georgia inside linebacker CJ Allen (3) during Georgia's game against Alabama on Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Ga., on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. (Tony Walsh/UGAAA)
Georgia inside linebacker CJ Allen (3) during Georgia's game against Ole Miss on Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Ga., on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025. (Conor Dillon/UGAAA)
Georgia inside linebacker CJ Allen (3) during Georgia's game against Alabama in the 2025 SEC Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Ga., on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (Conor Dillon/UGAAA)
Georgia inside linebacker CJ Allen (3) during Georgia's game against Tennessee at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn., on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025. (Tony Walsh/UGAAA)
Georgia inside linebacker CJ Allen (3) during Georgia's game against Alabama on Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Ga., on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025. (Tony Walsh/UGAAA)
Kentucky quarterback Cutter Boley (8) is sacked by Georgia inside linebacker CJ Allen (3) during the first half of an NCAA football game on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025 in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)
Georgia inside linebacker CJ Allen (3) defends during the first half of an NCAA football game against Kentucky on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025 in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)
Georgia inside linebacker CJ Allen (3) defends during the first half of an NCAA football game against Kentucky on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025 in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)
Georgia inside linebacker CJ Allen (3) defends during the first half of an NCAA football game against Kentucky on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025 in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)
Georgia inside linebacker CJ Allen (3) defends during the first half of an NCAA football game against Kentucky on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025 in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)
Georgia inside linebacker CJ Allen (3) defends during the first half of an NCAA football game against Kentucky on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025 in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)
Georgia inside linebacker CJ Allen (3) defends during the first half of an NCAA football game against Kentucky on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025 in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)
Georgia inside linebacker CJ Allen (3) celebrates a sack during the first half of an NCAA football game against Kentuckyon Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025 in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)
Georgia inside linebacker CJ Allen (3) defends during the first half of an NCAA football game against Kentucky on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025 in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)
Georgia inside linebacker CJ Allen (3) defends during the first half of an NCAA football game against Kentucky on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025 in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)
Georgia inside linebacker CJ Allen (3) defends during the first half of an NCAA football game against Kentucky on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025 in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)
Georgia inside linebacker CJ Allen (3) defends during the first half of an NCAA football game against Kentucky on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025 in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)
Georgia inside linebacker CJ Allen (3) defends during the first half of an NCAA football game against Kentucky on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025 in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)
Georgia inside linebacker CJ Allen (3) defends during the first half of an NCAA football game against Kentucky on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025 in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)
Georgia inside linebacker CJ Allen (3) defends during the first half of an NCAA football game against Kentucky on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025 in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)
Georgia inside linebacker CJ Allen (3) defends during the first half of an NCAA football game against Kentucky on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025 in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)
Georgia inside linebacker CJ Allen (3) defends during the first half of an NCAA football game against Kentucky on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025 in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)
Georgia inside linebacker CJ Allen (3) defends during the first half of an NCAA football game against Kentucky on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025 in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)
Georgia inside linebacker CJ Allen (3) defends during the first half of an NCAA football game against Kentucky on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025 in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)
Georgia inside linebacker CJ Allen (3) defends during the first half of an NCAA football game against Kentucky on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025 in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/Stew Milne)
Mississippi wide receiver Harrison Wallace III (2) catches a pass against Georgia linebacker CJ Allen (3) during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025, in Athens, Ga. (AP Photo/Colin Hubbard)
Georgia linebacker CJ Allen (3) hits Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson (15) during the second half of a Southeastern Conference championship NCAA college football game, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
