UGA Football LB CJ Allen Named Butkus Award Finalist

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ATHENS, Ga. --- Georgia Bulldog junior ILB CJ Allen has been named one of five finalists for the 2025 Butkus Award, given annually to the nation’s best linebacker.

Allen, a native of Barnesville, Ga., is one of two players from the Southeastern Conference named a finalist for the award.  The winner will be named by Dec. 10.

Former Bulldog All-American and current Atlanta Falcon Jalon Walker won the 2024 honor while Nakobe Dean (2021) and Roquan Smith (2017) were Georgia’s first two winners.  There have been five other Bulldog finalists six different years in recent history, including Jamon Dumas-Johnson (2022), Monty Rice (2020), Leonard Floyd (2015), Jarvis Jones (2011, 2012) and Justin Houston (2010).

Allen leads the SEC averaging 7.8 tackles through 11 games.  He has piled up 78 stops, including seven tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks, to go with two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.  He has been Georgia’s leading tackler seven times this season and has been a captain five times.  Allen’s work in the community is also tops among his teammates, including visiting his former elementary, middle and high schools during one of the Bulldogs’ off weeks to encourage current students.

Allen is also a finalist for the Lott IMPACT Trophy and a semifinalist for the Bednarik Award and Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award.

The No. 4 Bulldogs (10-1) make the short trip to Atlanta to face No. 16 Georgia Tech (9-2) in Mercedes-Benz Stadium during the Invesco QQQ Atlanta Gridiron Classic on Friday.  Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 and the game will be televised by ABC.