Jan. 21, 2026, 10:10 a.m. ET
The godfather of the NFL draft is back—and he’s delivered, at least hypothetically, for the Carolina Panthers.
ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr., fresh off Monday night’s national title game, pieced together his debut mock for the 2026 draft. And with the 19th overall pick, he has the Panthers selecting University of Georgia linebacker CJ Allen.
Kiper writes:
Carolina took a big step forward on defense (and overall) this season, but there’s a looming void in the middle. Christian Rozeboom is a free agent, and the Panthers could use a three-down middle linebacker to step in. Allen is a read-and-react player who sees it and goes. In 2025, Allen had 97 tackles. He also can chip in with the pass rush, and you’ll see him drop in coverage on tape.
The Panthers went from 5-12 in 2024 to NFC South champions at 8-9 this season. Nailing this pick could be important in defending that title and making more noise in the playoffs next season.
Allen was honored as a consensus All-American and first-team All-SEC member this past season. The 20-year-old Barnesville, Ga. native, according to Pro Football Focus, led the Bulldogs with 39 stops while also notching 3.5 sacks and four pass breakups.
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As Kiper notes, Rozeboom—one of Carolina’s starting inside linebackers from 2025—is set to hit the open market. There’s also some uncertainty regarding their other starter in Trevin Wallace, who struggled in his second pro campaign before sustaining a season-ending shoulder injury.
The Panthers, despite their rich history at linebacker, have suffered from some instability at the position for a handful of years. Bringing in a promising talent like Allen could change that.
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