Colts draft pick listed among top 5 rookies to watch in training camp

One of the Indianapolis Colts' draft picks was named a top rookie to watch during NFL training camps.

ESPN's Ben Solak put together his list of five rookies to watch over the next month, and headlining this group was Colts' linebacker CJ Allen.

In Lou Anarumo's defense, he is expected to fill the all-important MIKE linebacker role. This player is responsible for taking in the play call, relaying to the rest of the defense, and then making any pre-snap adjustments. The MIKE-backer is essentially the quarterback of the defense.

This was a role that Allen filled at Georgia as well.

"The second-round pick is just 21 years old and joins coordinator Lou Anarumo's defense after multiple seasons as the starting middle linebacker for Kirby Smart's defense in Georgia," Solak wrote. "That's nothing to sneeze at."

Allen has already impressed the Colts coaching staff, but as Solak notes, a lot will be on the rookie's plate.

Beyond all the duties that come with being the MIKE linebacker, there won't be an established veteran presence next to him. Anarumo's defense is quite "complex" as well, as Solak put it.

"All of this puts much more on a rookie than you might hope," Solak wrote, "so Allen's quick onboarding during training camp is a must for the Colts' defense to have success in 2026."

Solak pointed out that other Day 2 rookie linebackers have found immediate success in recent years, but Allen hitting the ground running in training camp will be important, not only for him, but for the defense as a whole.

This article originally appeared on Colts Wire: Colts draft pick listed among top 5 rookies to watch in training camp