Chris Paul Jr. 2025 NFL Draft: Ole Miss LB Scouting Report
In this talented 2025 NFL Draft class, an athletic linebacker that you need to know is Chris Paul Jr. He’s a versatile LB from Ole Miss with a bright future in the NFL. Today, we’ll break down his NFL outlook with this in-depth expert scouting report. Additionally, we will be breaking down his strengths, areas for improvement, and his potential draft grade.
Chris Paul Jr. 2025 NFL Draft Scouting Report
Paul Jr. emerged as a standout linebacker after a wild college journey. Initially, he was a three-star recruit from Crisp County High School. Paul showcased two-way versatility as a running back and linebacker, amassing 248 tackles and seven sacks across his junior and senior seasons. Initially committing to Arkansas, he redshirted in 2021 before breaking out as a redshirt freshman in 2022 with 62 tackles, eight tackles for loss (TFLs), and four sacks, earning Freshman All-SEC honors.
In 2023, Paul Jr. solidified his role with 74 tackles and 7 TFLs. Impressively, he exploded onto the national stage by transferring to Ole Miss for the 2024 season, leading the Rebels with 88 tackles (50 solo), 11 TFLs, 3.5 sacks, and adding an interception and four pass breakups. Ultimately, his performance anchored one of the nation’s top defenses, earning him Second-Team All-SEC and Third-Team All-American honors and a Butkus Award finalist nod.
HT: 6007
WT: 222
HAND: 938
ARM: 2978
40: 4.63
Strengths:
- Athleticism and Range: Paul’s speed (4.63 40) and explosiveness translate into exceptional sideline-to-sideline range. He pursues with tenacity, often chasing down ball carriers from the backside or covering ground in open-field situations.
- Coverage Ability: A modern linebacker, Paul excels in pass defense. His fluid hips and quick-twitch movements allow him to mirror tight ends and running backs in man coverage, while his spatial awareness tightens windows in zone. His ball skills (interception, four PBUs in 2024) are rare for the position.
- Tackling Efficiency: Paul boasts one of college football’s lowest missed tackle rates (7.67% in 2024). He wraps up securely and delivers pop on contact, rarely allowing extra yards after initial engagement.
- Play Recognition: Improved dramatically at Ole Miss, showing refined key-and-diagnose ability. He reads plays quickly, takes efficient angles, and rarely bites on misdirection.
- Versatility: Aligned across the second level at Ole Miss—inside, outside, and even in the slot on occasion. His experience as a high school running back informs his instincts against the run and in space.
Areas for Improvement:
- Size and Length: At his size and length, Paul is undersized for a traditional linebacker. He struggles to stack and shed blocks when offensive linemen get their hands on him, often getting washed out of gaps.
- Block Deconstruction: Lacks the upper-body strength and hand technique to disengage from blockers in tight quarters consistently. This limits his effectiveness against power runs or when climbed by guards.
- Over-Aggressiveness: His high motor can be a double-edged sword. Paul occasionally overshoots gaps or vacates his assignment chasing plays, exposing cutback lanes.
- Processing in Traffic: While improved, his instincts falter at times in the box when facing multiple blockers or complex blocking schemes, leading to delayed reactions.
- Limited Pass-Rush Arsenal: Effective as a blitzer (31.9% pressure rate in 2024) but relies heavily on speed and timing rather than a diverse set of moves, which may cap his ceiling as an edge rusher.
Conclusion:
Paul profiles as a WILL linebacker in a 4-3 scheme or an off-ball linebacker in a 3-4, where his speed and coverage skills can be maximized. Additionally, his size suggests he’ll need to be schemed around bigger blockers, likely thriving alongside stout defensive tackles who can occupy linemen. He’s an immediate special teams contributor with the potential to grow into a three-down role if he refines his block-shedding technique and play discipline. Think of a more athletic David Long Jr. with better coverage chops.
Furthermore, Paul Jr. is a high-floor prospect with starter upside. Teams like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (pairing with Lavonte David), Baltimore Ravens (next to Roquan Smith), or Pittsburgh Steelers (depth behind Patrick Queen) could leverage his skill set in pursuit-heavy defenses.
Overall, Paul Jr. embodies the evolution of the linebacker position: fast, rangy, and proficient in coverage, with the toughness to hold his own against the run. While his frame and block-shedding limitations cap his ceiling as an every-down MIKE, his athletic profile and football IQ make him a plug-and-play asset in sub-packages and on special teams. With coaching to harness his aggression and bolster his technique, Paul has the tools to carve out a long, impactful NFL career.
Round Grade: Late 3rd – Early 4th Round
Stats: Per Sports Reference
| Season | Team | G | Solo | Ast | TFL | Sk | Int | PD | FR | FF |
| 2021* | Arkansas | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022* | Arkansas | 13 | 38 | 24 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2023 | Arkansas | 11 | 30 | 44 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024* | Ole Miss | 12 | 50 | 38 | 11 | 3.5 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Career | 40 | 118 | 107 | 27 | 9.5 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 1 |
Trending Now
