Georgia football junior linebacker CJ Allen has been named one of 20 semifinalists for the ninth annual Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year, it was announced Tuesday.
The Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year award is given annually to the college football player who has “…demonstrated a record of leadership by exhibiting exceptional courage, integrity and sportsmanship both on and off the field.”
Allen is one of four juniors on the list and one of six players named from the Southeastern Conference. Other semifinalists include Nick Andersen (Wake Forest), Cam Ball (Arkansas), Jude Bowry (Boston College), Deion Burks (Oklahoma), Arion Carter (Tennessee), Dontay Corleone (Cincinnati), Jalon Daniels (Kansas), Nick Dawkins (Penn State), Aiden Fisher (Indiana), Ernest Hausmann (Michigan), Tyler Martinez (New Mexico State), Devin Mockobee (Purdue), Koa Naotala (Old Dominion), Sawyer Robertson (Baylor), Jacob Rodriguez (Texas Tech), Eli Stowers (Vanderbilt), Michael Taaffe (Texas), Aamil Wagner (Notre Dame), and Tanner Wall (BYU).
Below is what the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Selection Committee had to say about Allen:
The anchor of Georgia’s nationally-renowned defense, Allen has been the leading tackler in five of the Bulldogs’ six games so far this season. Known for his leadership, calmness under pressure and work away from the field, Allen has taken a cue from his mother, who raised six children by herself. Allen is a consistent presence in the film room, who leads by example with his focus on taking care of his nutrition and work in the classroom, where he has been named to the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll three times. Off the field, he has put together youth football camps in his hometown, Athens and Atlanta.
“I’m very honored to announce the semifinalists for the Collegiate Man of the Year,” said Witten. “These twenty young men are prime examples of what makes college football so great. They have separated themselves not just by their play on the field, but how they have been leaders in the locker room, in their communities and in their own families. They are great representatives for their schools and the game of football, and I commend all nominees for getting to this point.”
Three finalists will be named for the award on Monday, December 16. The winner will be announced at the award ceremony at The Star in Frisco, Texas, on April 16, 2026.
CJ Allen, a junior from Barnesville, Ga., has amassed 46 total tackles (24 solo, 22 assisted) through six games this season. He also has 5.5 tackles for loss (17 yards), three sacks (13 yards), two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery.
The ninth-ranked Georgia Bulldogs (5-1, 3-1 SEC) are next scheduled to host the fifth-ranked Ole Miss Rebels on Saturday, Oct. 18 at Dooley Field at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Ga. The game will be televised by ABC at 3:30pm ET (Buy Tickets).