C.J. Allen A Trade Back Target?
February 22nd, 2026
Georgia ILB C.J. Allen.
The Bucs need inside linebackers in the worst way. In fact, Joe is on record saying the Bucs need to add three.
Draft two and sign one, draft one and sign two, it doesn’t matter to Joe. The Bucs need to be prepared for life without Lavonte David and the Bucs ought to be prepared for life after SirVocea Dennis. Not that he may retire, but the Bucs need to move on from him as a starter.
Getting Ohio State linebacker Arvell Reece is a pipedream. Fellow Buckeyes linebacker Sonny Stiles would be perfect but Joe doesn’t see how he gets past Dallas at No. 12.
The Bucs pick at No. 15.
So how about Georgia linebacker C.J. Allen? Picking him at No. 15 may be a bit of a reach but if the Bucs were to trade back into the 20s, that may be Allen’s wheelhouse if you listen to Daniel Jeremiah.
The NFL draft analyst and former Ravens, Browns and Eagles scout had a pre-combine Zoom call last week with #NFLMedia and he was looking at C.J. Allen maybe going to Denver.
Jeremiah is a big Allen fan.
“He’s just one of the best players available,” Jeremiah said. He’s just a real physical player.
“He got he can do it with speed. He can do it with physicality. He’s the communicator for that defense. He can kind of be the nerve center (for an NFL defense).”
To hear Jeremiah, Allen has been the complete package since he stepped foot on Georgia’s campus the spring before his freshman season.
“I talked to [Georgia’s] coaches and they said [when Allen] got there in the spring … this guy was making like every tackle in practice as, you know, a 17- or 18-year old kid who should be a senior in high school.
“So he arrived on the scene, ready to go at Georgia, and I think he’d be a great fit [for Denver].”
Denver picks at No. 30, so it seems the Bucs would really be reaching for Allen. The problem is, the Bucs are in no man’s land when it comes to an inside linebacker. Too far back for Styles, too early for Allen.
But Joe likes how Jeremiah describes Allen as a fast, physical player. You know, a Dawg!
Respectfully that’s just not the case.
CJ Allen may be the safest Lb in the draft, and that’s not a knock.
– always in position
– sideline to sideline
– runs the defense
– very low mid tackle rateFlorida tape was a masterpiece https://t.co/ll2con0vqc pic.twitter.com/CZ5tNYnvLS
— (Foots The King) (@FootsDaKing) February 8, 2026
February 22nd, 2026 at 11:12 am
If he’s that good, #15 is not too early! If he’s that good, just get him!
February 22nd, 2026 at 11:21 am
What John said.👆👆👆👆👆 Also… USA, USA, USA 🏒🏒🏒 !!!
February 22nd, 2026 at 11:30 am
Drop down 20 -25 pick up an extra 3rd round pick. I am good with that if Styles is not there.
February 22nd, 2026 at 11:31 am
If Love is available at 15 and you do not take him you are committing GM malpractice-PERIOD.
February 22nd, 2026 at 11:46 am
Suit him up!
February 22nd, 2026 at 11:50 am
And he played at Georgia.
Look at the Eagles. They draft SEC players.
And so should we.
I would be very happy to trade back and grab a MLB from Gerogia
If his 40 time is 4.5.
I want 3 MLBs who run a 4.5 to 4.6.
Period.
February 22nd, 2026 at 11:55 am
Like the way you’re thinking Joe. If a can’t miss stud like Styles or Love isn’t there @ #15, and you can find a dance partner, do it! Trading down should be a priority. We need more than three picks before the weekend, and they should all be on D.
February 22nd, 2026 at 12:00 pm
I’m PROUD of you guys! 7 responses and not ONE complaining that Todd would ruin him anyway!
February 22nd, 2026 at 12:01 pm
Fire Todd
February 22nd, 2026 at 12:02 pm
Nooooo! No defense players for Bowzo.
February 22nd, 2026 at 12:04 pm
Teacher man on the money. No more of Licht small college ‘finds’
February 22nd, 2026 at 12:14 pm
CJ Allen looks very good on tape. He may not last until 15 but if he does and Love and Styles gone, he would be a great pick. He might even be better than Styles. Always gets square to make tackle. At times Styles looks like a drag tackler.
February 22nd, 2026 at 12:17 pm
Too early. According to who? I’ve always heard that one of the maxims of the draft is that you don’t trade down expecting/ hoping to get the player you actually wanted. If they want them, draft them.
February 22nd, 2026 at 12:17 pm
Beeej
But you know he will😉
February 22nd, 2026 at 12:19 pm
Styles or edge at 15, or, trade down and go ILB like Allen.
February 22nd, 2026 at 12:24 pm
CJ Allen may very well be available in the 2nd along with Anthony Hill Jr, just because ILB is super valuable to us, doesn’t mean every ILB is worth drafting at 15th overall.
That aside, I’d take CJ Allen, but not with our first pick. More importantly right now, what are some combos of ILB that we can get out of this draft?
Styles & Kyle Louis
Anthony Hill jr & Kyle Louis
Shad Banks is a player we could possibly get day 3 and if we go Styles/Hill Jr/Allen/J-Rod day 1 or 2, then pick up Banks later. That’d be a good start.
Do we go after one of these LBs with the size to play off ball, but experience rushing off the edge like a Trey Moore? Or Mitch Melton?
Guys that aren’t as high in the board as top ILBs/Edge, but have the measurables to be molded into either with later picks?
Free agency this could all change after FA, but who’d be the first ILB we’d draft and what other prospect could we pair with as a duo to refresh our front 7.
February 22nd, 2026 at 12:31 pm
Yeah, Joe is leaning that way. Joe would have to think long and hard before passing on that guy. He could easily put the offense over the top.
It’s not like running back is a strength right now for the Bucs.
February 22nd, 2026 at 12:32 pm
According to draft value from a guy who learned at the feet of Ozzie Newsome how to evaluate talent, that’s who.
February 22nd, 2026 at 12:37 pm
Actually the Bucs should be aggressive trading back because the players on defense in Todd’s brilliant scheme are totally interchangeable, plug and play cogs in the well oiled machine. Defensive performance is completely uncorrelated to who plays on the field. That’s the beauty of Bowles.
February 22nd, 2026 at 12:39 pm
HC Grover
Thanks.
The Eagles defense is loaded with SEC players.
Fast, physical, and competitive.
Draft Southern talent!
February 22nd, 2026 at 12:47 pm
5 of the Eagles starting 11 on defense are from Georgia or Alabama.
February 22nd, 2026 at 12:57 pm
Agree above. Small school “gems” with all the measurable don’t often hold up like a top level conference stud.
But then there are the Braswells of the world.
We need beef from top schools.
February 22nd, 2026 at 1:16 pm
Lets just say for sheets and giggles that you can trade back and get some draft capital. I wonder who would trade up with the Bucs and for whom? Do we also call, say 5 other teams if we trade back to 20 and ask their draft intentions before we do that? Is there that much letting out of secrets between the teams during the draft? I know that teams will ask who a team is targeting before they trade back, remember Wirfs when Licht heard another team may jump ahead of him 1 spot to land him? That team didn’t reveal their intentions to Licht. Say he’s not there when you draft. Point is value is different for every team and I agree that if you like a guy when your turn is there you draft him. Say both OSU guys turn out not as well suited to the pro’s as Allen and the Bucs get him at 15, what does everyone say? Licht was a savant. The only offensive guy I take with that 15 pick is Love. I gotta wonder what makes the TE from Oregon better than Culp?
February 22nd, 2026 at 1:39 pm
Dennis needs to go that I know.
February 22nd, 2026 at 2:02 pm
Teacherman. I’m big on 40 yard dash times, too. They say Jacob Rodriguez is right at 4.6. There will be bigger and rangier middle linebacker’s in the draft. And faster. But he’s a football player who reads offenses better than any of these other linebackers I’ve been watching. The National Press decided he was better than any Georgia or Alabama player on defense last year. Butkus- best linebacker in football. Bednarik- best defensive player in football. And he won even more awards. I believe he’s almost 24 and was a QB going into college. A natural born leader, you might say. He had the most interceptions and forced fumbles and tackles in college football. I fully understand in the NFL you want the guys with the most potential. I’d prefer a football player with a 100% motor going all the time and as much competitive fire as we can get from a guy who projects to be the leader of an NFL defense. The dude had to walk on at Tech. Slept on buddies floors for a year. Of all of the Bucs perceived needs this season, I don’t believe any are as important as MLB and leader and playcaller of this defense. He is that man, with a nasty side. He will knock some a$$es off.
February 22nd, 2026 at 2:20 pm
I don’t trust Jason or Todd to make the right decision.
February 22nd, 2026 at 2:31 pm
I see conflicting info about Allen — some scouting reports say he’s explosive, great in coverage, then I see others that way he looks pretty average and isn’t good in coverage. I do know that at #15, if you’re taking an ILB, they need to be special in some way. After the combine, assuming he’s there, you might have a better feel.
February 22nd, 2026 at 2:34 pm
Fire Toad Bowels
February 22nd, 2026 at 2:46 pm
The thing I always wonder is how can JL be so good at drafting offense and bad at front 7 on defense. He’s hit on a couple, V.V., Kancey(when not hurt). Braswell was pretty good at Bama.
Maybe it’s the “system” and philosophy of the genuis. Can he be influencing the defensive picks. We’ll never know that answer.
February 22nd, 2026 at 3:11 pm
I see a trade back year.
February 22nd, 2026 at 3:22 pm
Love CJ Allen. He would be a fixture in the middle of this defense for years. A great leader as well.
February 22nd, 2026 at 3:48 pm
They need to trade down some. Too many needs. At least one more LB, DE, OL, TE, CB, probably another RB with Bucky & DT & might have to draft two at some positions. Especially when they don’t go out in FA & do anything.
February 22nd, 2026 at 3:51 pm
I dont know…just not feeling it with him….maybe its me