Former Bulldog linebacker Jamon Dumas-Johnson has not publicly said why he decided to transfer from Georgia at the end of last year.
However, it does not take a mind reader to safely say that the development of CJ Allen played a role.
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When Dumas-Johnson went down with a forearm injury that forced him to miss the second half of the season, Allen stepped in and the Bulldogs' inside linebacker corps did not miss a beat.
Allen is everything Kirby Smart wants in the position. Considering he's just entering his sophomore year, there appears to be no limit to how good Allen can be.
Tale of the Tape
Height: 6-1
Weight: 235
Class: Sophomore
Rivals Ranking: Allen was ranked 82nd nationally out of high school, the 4th-best player in the state, and the 6th-best at his position in the country his senior year. He had a 5.9 rating.
Status: Starting Inside Linebacker
Impact thus far
Expectations going into the 2023 season were that Allen would have an impact before the year was complete.
Few, however, predicted how big it would be.
Although the injury to Dumas-Johnson cracked the door open for Allen, once in the lineup, it soon became obvious that Georgia would not be missing the now Kentucky linebacker whatsoever.
Allen played in all 14 contests for the Bulldogs, including five starts, and finished with 41 tackles, including a pair of tackles for loss and a sack.
His best game statistically speaking came during his first start, Georgia's 52-17 rout of Ole Miss when he made a team-leading nine tackles, including his sack.
Allen would earn the SEC Freshman of the Week, along with the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Week Award by the Maxwell Football Club.
Kirby Smart on CJ Allen
“They’re (Allen and Raylen Wilson) established in this program. They know the ropes of everything that’s going on. They’re not the young guys anymore. They’re leading by example for the young guys in our room, and they’re leading the inside backer room as well. Just keeping everybody in tip-top shape, knowing what they need to do and still learning to this day, getting better as players.”
What do his teammates say?
"He plays way past his age. He’s the guy in meetings taking a lot of notes. Every check that our defense has, he called it to a T." - Former Bulldog defensive lineman Zion Logue.
What to look for in fall camp
Smart will tell you that a player typically improves the most between his freshman and sophomore years.
That's especially true for someone like Allen.
Not only does Allen have the physicality and athleticism to succeed, but he's got the work ethic and eagerness to learn that all the great ones have.
It's a deep room of inside backers for the Bulldogs.
Smael Mondon returns for his senior year, with fellow sophomore Raylen Wilson also primed for a big year.
There's also Jalon Walker who we highlighted last week, along with fellow Troy Bowles, and giving Georgia what could be one of the better inside linebacker rooms in the SEC.
