Georgia linebacker CJ Allen suffered a knee injury in Week 12 against Texas, underwent surgery in which doctors “removed a piece of his meniscus,” and still returned just 13 days later after missing only one game.
Allen sat out Georgia’s game against Charlotte but was back on the field against Georgia Tech less than two weeks later, underscoring both his toughness and importance to the Bulldogs defense. The injury continued to affect him into the pre-draft process, however, as lingering knee swelling related to the MCL issue prevented him from participating in athletic testing.
At Georgia’s Pro Day, the 2025 consensus All-American did not run the 40-yard dash and instead limited his participation to positional drills in front of NFL scouts. He also skipped testing at the NFL combine, making his draft evaluation more reliant on film than measurable results.
Even without the athletic testing, Allen helped himself during drills. Evaluators noted his movement skills, instincts and on-field presence, reinforcing the belief that his game should translate well to the next level.
Allen’s body of work at Georgia remains the strongest part of his profile. Over 41 career games, he totaled 126 solo tackles, 79 assists, 4.5 sacks, one fumble recovery and one interception.
That combination of production, instincts and toughness keeps Allen in the conversation as a fringe first-round prospect, even as teams continue to weigh the medical side of his evaluation.
As the 2026 NFL Draft approaches, teams are doing more than just reviewing game tape; they're digging deep into medical histories. While talent is paramount, durability is critical in a league where physical attrition is a weekly reality. Several top prospects enter the draft with injury concerns that could affect their stock, especially as teams weigh short-term availability against long-term risk.
At SIC, we’ve analyzed the most notable health-related storylines among top NFL hopefuls, using both medical insight and positional value to assess how injuries could shape their draft outcomes.
Check out the 2026 NFL Draft Injury Guide
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