Chris Paul Jr.
| No. 54 – Los Angeles Rams | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Linebacker |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | November 4, 2002 Cordele, Georgia, U.S. |
| Height: | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) |
| Weight: | 222 lb (101 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Crisp County (Cordele) |
| College: | Arkansas (2021–2023) Ole Miss (2024) |
| NFL draft: | 2025: 5th round, 172nd pick |
| Career history | |
| |
| Roster status: | Active |
| Stats at Pro Football Reference | |
Christopher "Pooh" Paul Jr. (born November 4, 2002) is an American professional football linebacker for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Ole Miss Rebels and the Arkansas Razorbacks. Paul was selected by the Rams in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL draft.
Early life
[edit]Paul Jr. attended Crisp County High School in Cordele, Georgia, where he played linebacker and running back. He had 157 tackles with 4.5 sacks his junior year, and 91 tackles with 2.5 sacks as a senior.[1] He committed to the University of Arkansas to play college football. He is the son of NBA player Chris “CP3 Paul [2]
College career
[edit]Paul Jr. played in four games and took a redshirt his first year at Arkansas in 2021.[3] As a redshirt freshman in 2022, he started two of 13 games and recorded 62 tackles and four sacks.[4][5] As a redshirt sophomore in 2023, Paul Jr. started nine of 11 games and finished with 74 tackles and two sacks. After the season, he entered the transfer portal and transferred to the University of Mississippi.[6][7] Paul Jr. was a starter in his first season at Ole Miss in 2024, where he was named to the All-SEC second team but selected by the USA Today to their All-America first team.[8][9]
Professional career
[edit]| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 0+7⁄8 in (1.85 m) |
222 lb (101 kg) |
29+7⁄8 in (0.76 m) |
9+3⁄8 in (0.24 m) |
4.63 s | 1.62 s | 2.69 s | 4.45 s | 7.46 s | 36.0 in (0.91 m) |
9 ft 9 in (2.97 m) | ||
| All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day[10][11] | ||||||||||||
Paul was selected by the Los Angeles Rams with the 172nd overall pick in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL draft.[12]
References
[edit]- ^ New Arkansas linebacker Paul lauded by former foe
- ^ HOG FUTURES: Georgia linebacker Chris Paul Jr. adjusting early with team
- ^ Patience paved the way for Pooh Paul
- ^ Paul now elder linebacker for Hogs
- ^ 'I’ve got a lot to make up for': Paul excited to be full-go for BYU
- ^ Top transfer linebacker commits to Ole Miss
- ^ Ole Miss football, Lane Kiffin land Chris Paul Jr., transfer linebacker from Arkansas
- ^ "Colorado's Travis Hunter, Boise State's Ashton Jeanty lead USA TODAY Sports All-America team". USA Today.
- ^ Chris 'Pooh' Paul Jr. takes his game to another level on Saturdays
- ^ "Chris Paul Jr. Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved February 27, 2025.
- ^ "Chris Paul Jr. College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved February 27, 2025.
- ^ Jackson, Stu (April 26, 2025). "READ: Rams select ILB Chris Paul Jr. with 172nd pick in the 2025 NFL Draft". TheRams.com.