Chris
Paul.
Chris
Paul.
Mississippi· 6'1"· 222 lb· 4.63s 40
"Paul is an instinctual, explosive off-ball linebacker with the range and closing speed to flow to the ball and make plays in space, but he needs to prove he can consistently shed blocks at the next level."Pre-draft read
Paul plays fast and downhill. He diagnoses run concepts quickly, takes efficient angles and closes with real burst — a 4.63 forty with a 36-inch vertical and a 117-inch broad jump is a genuinely explosive testing line for an off-ball linebacker. His 26.5 career tackles for loss and nine sacks come from that ability to trigger before the block arrives.
The problem is what happens when the block does arrive. At 222 pounds he does not stack and shed; he tries to run around blockers, and offensive linemen who reach the second level cleanly can wall him off entirely. In coverage he is fluid enough for zone drops but he is not a matchup defender against tight ends or backs in man.
Chris Paul projects best as an off-ball linebacker in a 3-4 defense that prioritizes athletic, versatile second-level defenders to cover ground and make plays in space.
Initially a core special teamer who can develop into a rotational coverage linebacker in sub-packages, with the ceiling to become a starting Will in a scheme that values speed over size.
A 4-3 run-stuffing scheme where he would be asked to consistently take on and shed interior offensive linemen.
Paul's athleticism and coverage skills make him a valuable asset in modern defenses that prioritize speed and adaptability, despite his size concerns.
When Chris Paul Was THE POINT GOD 🙌 2012-13 Season Highlights | GOAT SZN
Chris Paul Full Highlights vs Wizards (2016.04.03) - 27 Pts, 12 Ast, CLUTCH!
Chris Paul Jr College Football Highlights💥| Ole Miss Linebacker | NFL Draft Film
Paul produced across two SEC programs, finishing with 212 tackles, 26.5 tackles for loss, nine sacks and two forced fumbles in 40 games at Arkansas and Ole Miss, peaking with 87 tackles and 12 TFL in his lone season with the Rebels in 2024.
The disruption is the calling card. He is at his best attacking downhill — as a run defender flowing to the sideline, as a blitzer through an open gap, and as a pursuit player chasing plays from the backside. The testing backs up the tape: he is one of the more explosive linebackers in the class in a straight line.
The size is the ceiling. At 6-1 and 222 pounds he lacks the mass to hold up against guards and tight ends at the point of attack, and his technique against blocks is underdeveloped rather than merely undersized. The Rams are drafting a run-and-chase weakside linebacker and special teams starter, betting that a defense which keeps its linebackers clean can turn his speed into production. That is the right context for this player.
- 01
Athletic Testing
Paul measured with a 4.63 forty-yard dash, a 36-inch vertical jump, and a 117-inch broad jump.
- 02
Run Diagnosis
Demonstrates quick run diagnosis with efficient pursuit angles and true sideline-to-sideline range.
- 03
Career Production
He recorded 26.5 career tackles for loss and nine sacks across his time at two SEC programs.
- 04
Blitzing Ability
He is an effective blitzer who exploits open gaps with real closing burst.
- 05
Special Teams
Paul provides immediate core special teams value on coverage units.
- 01
Play Strength
At 222 pounds, he cannot consistently stack and shed blocks at the point of attack.
- 02
Block Engagement
He frequently gets walled off by offensive linemen climbing cleanly to the second level.
- 03
Coverage Limitations
Paul is limited as a man-coverage matchup against both tight ends and running backs.
- 04
Blocking Technique
His technique against blocks is underdeveloped, not solely a matter of his size.
— — — positional median (p50)
- 40 yd
- 4.63sp50
- Vertical
- 36inp50
- Broad jump
- 117inp50
- Three-cone
- —s
- Shuttle
- —s
- Bench
- —rep
| Yr | Team | G | Tkl | Sk | Int | PD | FF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Arkansas | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | Arkansas | 13 | 50 | 3.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | Arkansas | 11 | 74 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2024 | Ole Miss | 12 | 87 | 3.5 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| Career | — | 40 | 212 | 9 | 1 | 5 | 0 |
A dash means the figure is not published by a source we trust — never a zero we invented.
Paul projects as a core special teamer who earns defensive snaps in sub-packages due to his athleticism and sound tackling in open space.
Jones's range and playmaking in space mirror Paul's potential to be a dynamic, every-down linebacker impacting all three phases.
Paul's floor is a high-volume special teams contributor who occasionally fills in on defense, providing depth with his athleticism.
Everything above is the pre-draft evaluation. This section is what actually happened — updated year over year.
The Rams found an explosive linebacker at 172 by accepting the size limitation and drafting for a role rather than for a complete profile.
Taking on blocks is the entire reason he slid. Modern defenses hide that weakness better than they used to, but on early downs it is still real.
The realistic outcome is a core special-teamer who plays 300 to 500 defensive snaps in sub packages and grows into a weakside starter if the play strength improves. That is very good value at this pick.