INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indianapolis Colts needed a playmaking linebacker to help them complete a major offseason defensive overhaul.
CJ Allen seemed like a perfect fit.
So after watching the first round of the NFL draft Thursday and trading back six spots when they finally went on the clock Friday, the Colts took Allen at No. 53 overall then added safety A.J. Haulcy out of LSU in the third round, No. 78 overall.
“They’re getting someone who can run and hit,” he told reporters on a conference call just minutes after he finished speaking with the Colts brain trust.
At 6-feet, 230 pounds, Allen certainly made his presence felt over the last three seasons at Georgia. He started five games for the national champions as a freshman before serving as the defensive play-caller on back-to-back playoff teams in 2024 and 2025.
Last season, Allen led the Bulldogs with 88 tackles and eight tackles for loss while posting 3 1 /2 sacks, breaking up four passes, forcing two fumbles and recovering one on his way to first team All-American honors. He also was a semifinalist for the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award and the Bednarik Award, which goes to college football’s best defensive player.
And Allen insisted he learned one key lesson while playing for coach Kirby Smart.
“Good is not good enough,” he said. “The standard for us, especially coming from Georgia, good is the lowest bar you can be. But you’ve got to earn it, you’ve got to work.”
Allen became Indy’s highest drafted linebacker since Ben Banogu went No. 49 overall in the 2019 draft. But Banogu played primarily on the defensive line.
Still, the selection was no surprise given all the changes Indy has made this offseason. He adds another body to a position that looked thin and is expected to fill the void left by Zaire Franklin, who was traded to Green Bay in March. Franklin topped the 100-tackle mark in each of the last four seasons and ranked among the league's leaders with 167, 179 and 173 from 2022-24.
But the revamp was put on pause Thursday because Indy traded its first-round pick to the New York Jets for two-time All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner in a trade deadline deal last fall. Then the Colts swapped their second-round pick, No. 47, with Pittsburgh to pick up an extra Day 3 selection.
In addition to Franklin, the Colts also starting defensive end Kwity Paye and starting safety Nick Cross in free agency while a fourth ttarter, former Pro Bowl cornerback Kenny Moore II, has requested a trade.
General manager Chris Ballard opted to beef up his defensive front by signing defensive ends Arden Key and Michael Clemons and defensive tackles Derrick Nnadi and Jerry Tillery in free agency. He also acquired defensive tackle Colby Wooden from the Packers.
The Colts signed safeties Jonathan Owens, Cam Taylor-Britt and Juanyeh Thomas and linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither in free agency before convincing safety Nasir Adderley to come out of retirement after three seasons away from the game. Now they've added yet another safety — the 6-foot, 215-pound Haulcy, who led LSU with 89 tackles last season.
The Colts have six picks remaining Saturday.
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FILE - Georgia linebacker CJ Allen (01) speaks during a press conference at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Feb. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File)
ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Falcons used their first pick in the NFL draft on Friday night to select Clemson cornerback Avieon Terrell, who will join older brother A.J. Terrell in the team's secondary.
Avieon Terrell was the first pick for the Falcons new leadership team of president of football Matt Ryan, general manager Ian Cunningham and coach Kevin Stefanski.
The Falcons created “bookend brothers” at cornerback by selecting the younger Terrell. A.J. Terrell, who also played at Clemson, was Atlanta's first-round pick in 2020. The brothers hugged at the family's draft party when the Falcons' second-round pick, No. 48 overall, was announced.
“I just feel blessed to be able to play on the field with my brother, my blood,” Avieon Terrell said. “I feel good. It’s something that I talked to him about. And here we go.”
The Falcons called A.J. Terrell a few minutes before making the pick.
“I'm expecting little bro's phone to ring and my phone rang,” said A.J. Terrell, who acknowledged it wasn't easy to keep the secret.
“I was trying to hide my emotions,” the older Terrell said.
Avieon Terrell said: “I knew it. I know my bro.”
Even so, Avieon Terrell said “my heart dropped” as soon as he saw he was drafted by Atlanta, his hometown.
“It meant the world to me to get that call,” he said.
With their third-round pick, No. 79 overall, the Falcons selected Georgia wide receiver Zachariah Branch despite Branch's recent minor legal problems. Branch was arrested early Sunday on two misdemeanor charges — obstructing public sidewalks/streets and the obstruction of a law enforcement officer.
Branch boosted his draft stock by running the 40-yard dash in 4.35 seconds at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis.
He led Georgia with 81 receptions for 811 yards and six touchdowns as a junior in 2025 following his transfer from Southern California.
Avieon Terrell (5-11, 180) was considered undersized and may have his first opportunity to earn immediate playing time as the team's nickel back. He had three interceptions and eight forced fumbles for his career at Clemson, including five in his 2025 junior season, a school record for a defensive back.
The Falcons were one of eight teams who did not have a first-round pick on Thursday night. The Falcons have only five picks overall.
The Falcons traded the first-round pick to the Los Angeles Rams in last year’s draft to select edge rusher James Pearce Jr. with the No. 26 selection. Pearce had a successful rookie season with 10 1/2 sacks but was arrested near Miami on Feb. 7 on three felony charge after an incident involving his former girlfriend, WNBA player Rickea Jackson.
On Thursday, Pearce's attorneys announced he has agreed to enter a pretrial intervention program which could allow him to resolve the charges. Attorney Jacob Nunez said the state of Florida would dismiss all felony and misdemeanor charges if Peace completes a six-month diversion program without violation. Pearce still could face discipline from the NFL for violating the league's personal conduct policy.
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FILE - Georgia wide receiver Zachariah Branch speaks during a news conference at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)
FILE - Clemson defensive back Avieon Terrell (31) runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Feb. 27, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File)
