The 2026 NFL Draft takes place April 23-25 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Between now and then, you will come across hundreds, if not thousands, of mock drafts.
Each year, there seems to be a player who is commonly pegged for one team in particular. Whether that player ends up with that team or not is often hit or miss (mostly miss, how many people had Jahdae Barron going to the Broncos last year) because of all of the variables once the draft gets going.
But for the Denver Broncos, that player already seems to be emerging, and it is Georgia linebacker CJ Allen.
CJ Allen could fill any potential hole at ILB for Broncos
The Broncos are going to be looking closely at the inside linebacker position this offseason. Both Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad are set to become unrestricted free agents, and as far as in-house free agents go, they might be the two most important on the team.
There will also need to be a decision made on Dre Greenlaw, who signed a 3-year deal with the team last year before missing half of the 2025 season with injuries. The Broncos could save $8.1 million against the salary cap by designating him as a post-June 1 cut.
If the Broncos don’t bring back at least two of these players, the idea of drafting Allen at No. 30 is very real. In fact, in his latest mock draft, Daniel Jeremiah of NFL.com has the Broncos doing exactly that.
“Denver finds a replacement for Alex Singleton, who is ticketed for free agency. Allen is a steady, reliable player who can handle the nerve center of that talented defense”, wrote Jeremiah.
Thought CJ Allen was outstanding Saturday night at Auburn. One of the best in the country in a loaded LB class. Still only 20 years old pic.twitter.com/Js8HIUQbCx
— Billy M (@BillyM_91) October 14, 2025
Allen was an elite athlete in high school, playing on both sides of the ball as a running back and linebacker. He came to Georgia in 2023 and was a starter as a freshman. He was named First-team All-SEC and a consensus All-American in 2025.
For his career with the Bulldogs, Allen totaled 205 tackles, 4.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception.
Allen is a tremendous prospect, particularly against the run. He runs downhill with a purpose and is a terrific tackler. He has flashed potential in pass coverage and, with his elite speed, can also offer something as a blitzer to get after the quarterback.
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Broncos Country is going to want the Broncos to focus on the offensive side of the ball this offseason, and rightly so. However, Allen is a player whom the team would be quite fortunate to land.
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