Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - CJ ALLEN: Who is the Indianapolis Colts' Second-Round Pick, and How Does He Fit?

Starting point is 00:00:00 The Indianapolis Colts have their new Mike linebacker in C.J. Allen and Jake and I are here to break them all down. Let's get to it. You are Locked on Colts, your daily Indianapolis Colts podcast. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Welcome to Locked on Colts, part of the Locked On podcast network. My name is Zach Hicks, and that is Jake Arthur, and we are still throwing a party about the selection of C.J. Allen, the linebacker from Georgia, or at least I'm throwing a party. is one foot in the door still with my party. I wrote a huge piece about him today. It was enough for me to write about it. Yeah, there we go. You're coming to the part.

Starting point is 00:00:47 You're still like you're going to be fashionably late, but you're going to be at the party. Don't work. I'm getting my hat on. Right, right, exactly. He's the DD for this party here. Not a party. Okay, we're going to go too long on that.

Starting point is 00:00:57 So going into CJ Allen, diving into some of his background and who he is. And then also we're going to talk about how he fits this Colts defense. So, Jake, I'm going to let you introduce the background that is C.J. Island. Then I'll go a little bit more into why he was a player I love so much in this draft class and why he fits the culture exceptionally well. Yeah, I always like to pay attention to guys who come from these SEC schools and have been there like the whole time, like their career started and ended there where they were as recruits coming out of high school and like whether that stayed the course the whole time. So he was a four star recruit out of high school, a multi-sport athlete football basketball and track in high school. In football, he was a running back as well.

Starting point is 00:01:41 So I saw something where Trevor Sycambe was like, this dude just loves doling out and receiving punishment. He just loves being physical. So again, four-star recruit early enrollee at Georgia so he could get in, you know, as soon as possible. And we saw that come in right away. You know, he was a two and a half year starter for Georgia as soon as his freshman season. You know, there was an injury ahead of him.

Starting point is 00:02:05 He came in to replace him and they never looked. back. This is a guy who is lauded for his, his, like, leadership and just mental and tangibles. Captain, numerous other, like, character and leadership honors and considerations. You know, the, it's like the Jason Witten Man of the Year award, which is like college football's Walter Payton Man of the Year. He was a nominee for that. The Lot Impact Trophy, which is, like, basically, you have to be a good football player. and, you know, community, leadership, all that good.

Starting point is 00:02:41 Like, he checks all of those boxes of being, like, an outstanding person, essentially, and leader and teammate. And then it goes in, and it's matched on the field. He was a unanimous All-American and a first-team all-SEC player, despite tearing his meniscus late in the year and had an MCL injury in that same knee as well, underwent a minor procedure for it. and only missed one game came back didn't look great after he came back but he played through that and that's something that really is going to like endear itself to a guy like chris ballard if you

Starting point is 00:03:17 play through a serious injury like that chris ballard's going to love you so uh as a the background of him as a player tough really smart great leader really good athlete uh us here at this show we love guys who played more than one sport in high school uh and then could have kind of kind of of stowed on business and got even better in college. So the background on this kid is great. And then going into him as a player on the field, which you'll take us through, you can see why the Colts really liked him there as well. Yeah, absolutely.

Starting point is 00:03:50 One thing I've really learned of value when it comes to draft prospects is just the value of early production, I think, at the college game, because I think it says a lot where if you're there at like 18, 19 years old, making a big impact for a major program, that says something about how talented you are as a player, right? I love the late breakout players as well. But like if a guy is coming in here at 1819 and he's holding down the fort middle linebacker at Georgia, that means something. That's a prestigious position.

Starting point is 00:04:19 Like in college football, there's a bunch of positions you look at like Georgia and Alabama middle linebacker like Notre Dame quarterback. Like it's a very high ranking position and it's a lot of responsibility. Iowa Center. We're also throwing that one in there as well. That's another one. But yeah, when you. look at CJ Allen, you know, six foot, 230 pounds, 31.5 inch arms, not the most imposing, like, size and

Starting point is 00:04:43 arm length or anything like that, all below the threshold. It was one test that he did do this offseason, 447 in the 40-yard dash, and that was with the recovery from the meniscus injury. So who knows if he was even at full strength there. And then getting to his film, if you guys want to see a super long video on my personal YouTube, I did a 40-minute video on his film and everything about C.J. Allen, But just kind of the highlights here, outstanding run defender. I think he's extremely patient and mature as a run defender. We talk about with running backs, how running backs have to press run lanes to force linebackers to be blocked by the traffic

Starting point is 00:05:18 and then use that to open up cutback lanes the other way. It doesn't really work against CJ Allen. He has such good eyes in traffic and finding ball carriers where if a running back is pressing an A gap and then he's trying to jump to the backside B gap, Alan's going to jump with him. He's going to jump with to meet him in that backside B gap. So very poised, very smart, very mature player in the run game. He's got a lot of physicality to his game as well, running over pass blocking running backs, meeting tight ends and guards in the hole when he has to and throwing them off him.

Starting point is 00:05:49 And even meeting Jeremiah Love back in the playoff game last year, meeting him in the hole and decleading him and putting him on his back. So he's a physical player that's really strong in run game. He's lining up guys pre-snap and telling them where they need to be. And honestly, in coverage, I don't think it's that bad. Like, I know a lot of the pre-draft conversation around him was, you know, more of a thumper, more of a two-down guy. But I think he's very functional in zone coverage.

Starting point is 00:06:14 I think he can play man fairly well against tight ends. There are some issues in man coverage against running backs like most linebackers have. But I think he's a very functional player in that end as well. So I think there's a lot of good with CJ Allen. I think he's going to be an immediate floor raiser, get your run defense, and just your communication at a higher level. level. And then in coverage, I think he's very functional unlike what the Colts have had in recent years. So I think he's going to be a darn good player on, like on film. He's my third

Starting point is 00:06:42 ranked linebacker. I think he's going to be a darn good player in his rookie season and beyond in the NFL. Yeah, I agree. You mentioned like his ability to kind of uniquely avoid blocking and stuff, especially on some of those outside runs too. I guess really good lateral movement. And then he also, I know, I refer to it as stacking and shedding, but just like extend. ending on the blocker and then collapsing down on the ball carrier as they're coming by. He's really good at that as well. So he's just got a really good knack for finding a way to get to the ball when it's not easy to get there. So I totally agree.

Starting point is 00:07:15 And then in coverage, I posted a clip today on Twitter, his stop and start and his ability to cover a multi-cut route by this guy out of the slot and then get underneath him and then make the pass breakup. This was against Auburn. unbelievable play in coverage by him. So the chops are there. The athleticism is there. I just think more, again, he's a young player, newly 21.

Starting point is 00:07:41 More reps and more experience, I think will help iron out some of those things that people have been concerned about. Yeah, now absolutely. And coming up, guys, we're going to talk more about his fit in this Colts defense, his long-term projection, maybe throw some pro comps in there because I actually have a couple of pro comps that came to mind with his game. So we'll talk about all that to close out today's mini episode. online backer, C.J. Allen.

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Starting point is 00:09:58 All righty, locked on Colts everydayers. We're back talking all about linebacker C.J. Allen, his fit with the cold. how we project him going forward. But let's kind of start with some pro comps here, Jake. Because I just think pro comps are fun. They're nothing really more than just good fun. But I'm curious if anybody came to mind when you were watching more of his film this morning in preparation for this and just kind of getting into it.

Starting point is 00:10:20 Was there any guy from your past watching players that came to mind or past watching the NFL? Or are you still trying to work on one? No, nothing. I didn't have anything that was glaringly obvious that came to mind because I think his prowess in the run game, those guys are usually a lot clunkier and more stiff than he is. So I'd have to really think hard about a guy who is that good in the run game and actually had some flexibility and wasn't such a one beat type of player. You know what I mean?

Starting point is 00:10:50 Yeah. I have three guys that I think are close. But like you said, he's a hard player to comp to because he's smaller, but he plays like a thumper, right? So he plays like you're a Landon Roberts type like crazy psycho players. but he's smaller, right? He's smaller and faster. But the three guys that came to mind to varying degrees,

Starting point is 00:11:09 Henry Toa Toa, down in Houston, the guy who came out of Alabama a couple years ago, he's been a three-year starter for them, six foot, 228, like 31-inch arms, very productive, 100-plus tackle guy,

Starting point is 00:11:21 the last two seasons down in Houston. He really came to mind. I think he's a bit more physical than Toa-toa, but I think that there's some similar aspects there. Then a little bit higher up here, CJ Mosley, I think kind of came to mind a little bit. Okay. Now, CJ Mosley, it's hard to thump like C.J. Mosley, right?

Starting point is 00:11:40 C.J. Mosley. Yeah. Muscle hamster right there at linebacker. But I do think there's some similarities there. And I think, you know, if you tell me that he had a similar career to a C.J. Mosley where it's like multiple time pro bowler who maybe never got into like that all pro like superstar status, but like a well above average player, I think he could be there. And then if the coverage chops get to.

Starting point is 00:12:02 a little bit better, Jake. If they develop with time, dare I say, DeMario Davis type player? Okay, I could see that. Like a guy who's just so smart and plays with that savvy that you're looking for and just, it's like his game looks like it can transcend for a decade plus, like Davis has had. But Davis is a little bit more of a playmaker in the passing game,

Starting point is 00:12:22 and obviously Allen's not there yet. But those were the three guys that came to mind. It's not perfect comps, but they were a little bit there for me. Yeah, Davis is interesting because, he his prime was at a time where Fred Warner, Shaquille Leonard, like there were other guys always getting the buzz. And despite him never getting like the national attention, he was always up there in consideration when you had to come up with like a top five list of linebackers.

Starting point is 00:12:52 He was always in it. You know what I mean? Like he maybe wasn't the sexiest guy in the sexiest pick making the biggest blowup plays. But when you had to really think about who the best players, were at linebacker Davis had I don't know god like a six seven eight year rain in that top tier list so that's that's a really interesting one me I like that if if he can really get those those chops and coverage down and like his reaction time is quicker I think and and you know I I have seen plenty of instances of like fine feet and hips in man coverage where I think he'll be

Starting point is 00:13:30 fine. Like I'm not worried about it. I just think we need a bigger sample size is really not it. And he's going to get thrown into the deep end because he's going to be a day one starter at Mike for the Colts. Perfect segue there, Jake. So let's talk about his role here as a rookie where I've seen some fear from Colts fans being like, oh, Lou Anna Rimbo doesn't play young players. This guy is going to be the day one, Mike. Like he's going to wear that green dye. If Chris Ballard declares you the starter in his post draft press conference, you're already the starter. Yeah, he's definitely going to start. I think they're all in agreement there, right? you're not making this pick unless Louis and Ruma was saying, like, this is a guy I want.

Starting point is 00:14:05 So this is going to be their guy this next season starting at Mike. And there's going to be some lumps and bruises for sure. But I think he's going to give them a really stable floor. And like we were saying off air before we started recording, you know, with Zaire Franklin, every single play was so boom or bust, right? It was this huge, like, I don't want to say like highlight play, but like tackle for a loss or a big hit in the back field or, you know, that one year where he was forcing all those fumbles, right? Like, that's what you're getting with Zaire Franklin. But the in-between plays,

Starting point is 00:14:35 there's some, there's some issues there. With Allen, I don't know if you're going to get as much flash, but you're going to get so much like substance with him. He's, like, I've been calling him the vacuum cleaner because he cleans up all the dirt in front of him, where if one guy's off their assignment or, or if you're just looking for a guy who's going to fit the run and make a tackle one or two yards down the field, Alan's going to give you like 50 plus of those this next season. So I think the Colts wanted to be like, go, after this type of linebacker and I think he's just so perfect for this like next era of Colts defense. Yeah, I think mentally he'll be able to handle the load because Chris Ballard had mentioned that

Starting point is 00:15:12 in pre-draft stuff, they met with him a good bit and like James Betcher kind of threw the kitchen sink at him. They really wanted to kind of stress test him and see how he would be able to handle being like the Mike linebacker because they knew they had a very important position to fill. You know, Zaire Franklin had called that defense for a while now. And I think they wanted a rookie to be able to do it, but it has to be a smart guy. And Chris Ballard has been just waiting for years to draft a Kirby smart defensive player. Like he's been wanting to do it and he finally got the opportunity to do it. So mentally, I think he'll be able to handle it.

Starting point is 00:15:46 There will be some bumps and bruises along the way because he is a rookie. We're not talking about like just we're plopping Brian Ehrlicher down there right away. But this is a guy who is a very. smart player. He's, you know, he played for one of the most highly regarded defensive minds in all of college football, again, starting since freshman year. And now is going to be going to a very creative defensive coordinator in Lou Anirumo. So mentally, I think he'll be fine. He is kind of already shown that he can do it. As for the role and everything, yeah, I mean, I think you go ahead and you start right away.

Starting point is 00:16:28 And even though I do think it is about eveninging out those, those just crazy highs and lows of Zyre Franklin. Because for all the, all the flack that he caught, even on the show, like overall he was a startable player, you know. But when you find a guy out of position or just not even in the, you know, getting the run fit at all or he's being taken out immediately still at the second level,

Starting point is 00:16:55 like I just don't think that stuff's, going to happen as much with Alan. That's not what his tape indicates whatsoever. If he's not going to make the play, I think he'll be right there to affect it. And he'll at least be in his gap. Again, I mentioned his lateral mobility, I think is really good. So like on stretch plays and screens, I think that's going to be really good. But the communication as well, I like, I can't say one way or the other, whether or not Zyre Franklin was like a super great communicator. Like, obviously it was good enough. He called the defense for two different coordinators. But Allen is kind of like the classic field general Mike linebacker that he's going to be talking up until the ball is snapped and he's going to be getting guys in the right spots and again communicating what he sees.

Starting point is 00:17:37 So a lot of the time, just the communication part of playing Mike linebacker is just as important as what you're physically doing after the ball is snapped. Yeah. And then one more thing before we get out of here, just talking about his reliability, I believe it was only 7.5% mistackle rate in college. It was really low. Yeah. Yeah, and three of those miss tackles. Never more than eight in the season. Yeah, and three of those last year, though, which was his highest mistackle rate,

Starting point is 00:18:01 three of those came after he had tore his meniscus. So a couple of those where he was a step slower, and that's why you saw a couple of mistackles late in the year. If you look at his game log on PFF, you can clearly see where the injury happened. His grades are like, awesome. And then there's like three or four in a row that are really not great at all. And it's like, oh, I wonder when the injury happened. Is it when the grades fell off?

Starting point is 00:18:24 off cliff there. I think it might be. Yeah, he battled through it, but you should be good for OTA, should be good for training camp, and should be your Mike linebacker next year in Indianapolis. So thank you all for tuning in today to Lockdown Colts bonus episode. We'll be back tonight, or sorry, later today for the regular show here on Lockdown Colts. So make sure you subscribe to our show to get all the latest episodes. And if you don't already, make sure you're following out Lockedon Colts at Jake Arthur, NFL, and at Zach Hicks to all on social media. Don't forget to check out the Everydayer Club as well for ad-free episodes and access to a group chat with me, Jake and other listeners of the show.

Starting point is 00:18:56 Tate the link in the show notes or go to locked on colds. dot supercast.com. Thank you all for tuning in. We're back here later today for the regular show.

Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - CJ ALLEN: Who is the Indianapolis Colts' Second-Round Pick, and How Does He Fit?

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