At pick No. 53 in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Colts grabbed themselves a Dawg.
With the team's first pick of the draft, general manager Chris Ballard selected linebacker CJ Allen from the University of Georgia.
"You got a true linebacker that is able to make your defense better," Allen said Friday. "I really just love football."
The Colts traded LB Zaire Franklin to the Green Bay Packers in March, leaving an opening at the position, and it's one that Allen hopes to fill.
"They chose, 'CJ Allen, Linebacker, University of Georgia,'" he said. "They said in the title what they were looking for and what they want in the locker room. I'm coming to make this team better."
As an inside linebacker, Allen's primary goals are simple: run, hit and get to the ball.
The former four-star recruit had his pick of top-tier programs coming out of high school, but he always dreamed of playing for Kirby Smart and Georgia. The No.5 LB in the 2023 class committed to the Dawgs in June 2022.
"Good is not good enough," Allen said of what he learned from Smart. "The standard for us is good is the lowest bar you can be."
Allen also prides himself on his character and how he treats and speaks to others.
Over three seasons in Athens, Allen totaled 205 tackles, 13.5 TFLs, 4.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and one interception. He missed one game in his collegiate career due to a left meniscus clean-up surgery he received in November.
In 2025, Allen was a First Team All-American, as well as First Team All-SEC.
Allen is one of several former Bulldog middle linebackers to take the next step and enter the league. Quay Walker (now with the Las Vegas Raiders) and Roquan Smith (now with Baltimore Ravens) were high picks in previous drafts.
The Colts traded back in the second round, acquiring picks Nos. 53 (second round), 135 (fourth round) and 237 (seventh round) from the Pittsburgh Steelers in exchange for picks Nos. 47 (second round) and 249 (seventh round).
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)
