Georgia has landed its first linebacker commitment in the Class of 2023. Peach State native CJ Allen is staying home.

Hailing from Barnesville, Georgia, Allen is a standout defender for Lamar County High School. Allen has been pursued for quite some time by the Georgia staff. Co-defensive coordinator and inside linebacker coach Glenn Schumann has particularly been key in Allen's recruitment to UGA.

In an interview leading up to his official visit, Allen told UGASports what stood out about Schumann.

"I think Coach Schu, his pitch is honest," Allen said. "He doesn’t have to sugarcoat anything, he doesn’t have to make it sound good. He’s always honest and very truthful. Honesty is like hearing the hard truth and things you might not want to hear. You have nothing but respect for a person that tells you the truth and wants for the best for you. They’re not putting you in a bad situation or leading you on."

On the official visit, Schumann backed up Allen's perception of the Georgia coach caring for his players on and off the field. Allen shared with UGASports that Schumann still has strong relationships with guys that have graduated from Georgia; some who are now in the pro ranks. That level of sincerity and Georgia's track record with producing linebacker talent was enough to make Allen pull the trigger.

Allen has shown speed and athleticism all over the field during his high school career. Allen rushed for over 1,000 yards last season for Lamar County and tallied 91 tackles, 7.5 tackles for a loss, and 3 sacks on the defensive side of the ball.

Georgia beat out Auburn, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and USC for Allen's commitment. Allen is commitment No. 12 for Georgia in the Class of 2023. Georgia sat at 8th overall in the team rankings before Allen's commitment. This commitment moves the Bulldogs up to No. 6 in the class, vaulting Penn State and Northwestern.