Georgia ILB C.J. Allen.
So will Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht be able to trade down and start stocking up on linebackers? Or is his craving for trading down just a public crossover dribble?
We won’t know until tomorrow night. But if Licht does swing a deal, Emory Hunt said a guy Licht should seriously consider drafting will give Bucs fans who remember the glory years all the warm feels.
Joe really likes Georgia linebacker C.J. Allen. He looks like he has excellent fundamentals and he’s not shy about contact either. And, hey, do you know of a defensive player from Georgia who is a soft, fundamentally unsound defender?
Back at the combine Joe spoke with CBS analyst Emory Hunt. He’s also the author of his annual draft tome, “Football GamePlan Draft Guide.” Joe asked Hunt about Allen.
Knowing Joe covers the Bucs, Hunt gave Joe a comp for Allen that will hit Bucs fans right in the heart: Hardy Nickerson.
This came up when Joe mentioned how it’s hard to go wrong with a Kirby Smart defender.
“Listen, I have always said this, I said it this week, I say it all the time: If you told me you got a defender from San Diego State, Kansas State, Georgia, Utah, sight unseen, I am sold.
“So a player from Georgia, at that position, sign me up. But then you watch [Allen] play. Thumper. Impactful. [Hunt slammed his fist in his hand.] Hits you like you did something to him personally. That’s the type of guy you want.”
Joe cannot agree more. And remember that Licht has said multiple times this offseason he wants to get more violent. Guys he’s added on defense have that trait.
Hunt believes if the Bucs got Allen, it would be a throwback to when football was football.
“The ‘backer position has gone by the wayside compared to when we used to watch it growing up,” Hunt said. “When you had those Hardy Nickersons, those guys you feared, that’s why I get excited when I see players that remind me of yesteryear.
“I feel like that is getting lost. People don’t know how good football players used to be. They think football started in 2006.
“When you see guys that remind you of an old school guy, that’s what you are getting with [Allen].”
Hunt added that Allen is a “seek-and-destroy guy.”
Goodness, how awesome would that be to teleport Nickerson to today and plug him into the Bucs’ lineup? Look, Allen may never be Nickerson. That’s a tall order. But if he has the same makeup as Nickerson, why not take a flyer?
Licht acknowledges the Bucs need that kind of attitude on defense. And Joe really believes that type of physical player is contagious to teammates.
Just like Baker Mayfield fires up his offense when he bowls over defenders for a first down, so too does a quality hit from a linebacker arouse his defense. So long as he’s not flagged in Roger Goodell’s don’t-hit-too-hard league.
CJ Allen Cut Ups https://t.co/Sst2dItL6Q pic.twitter.com/lgn0bCmAiY
— jeremiah🐦⬛ (@NewEraMiah) March 8, 2026