Ole Miss linebacker Chris ‘Pooh’ Paul Jr. officially declares for NFL Draft: Congratulations, Pooh!
OXFORD, Miss. – Ole Miss linebacker Chris “Pooh” Paul Jr. officially declared for the NFL Draft earlier today after a spectacular year with the Rebels.
Our sources tell us Pooh will not play in the Gator Bowl on January 2, so the last time we saw him play in a Rebel uniform was in the 26-14 win over Mississippi State. As he had all season, Paul dominated, notching six tackles (4 solo), one sack, one tackle for loss and one interception.
Spending his first three years of college with Arkansas, Paul developed into an elite player, leaving the Razorbacks with a total of 137 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, and six sacks. Following the 2023 season, Pooh entered the transfer portal and committed to Ole Miss, where he would elevate his talents and leadership skills to an even higher level.
The 6-foot-1, 235-pound beast became a staple for Pete Golding’s unit, showing relentless effort on a daily basis. In his one year wearing red and blue, Paul recorded 86 total tackles, 3.5 sacks, and four pass deflections, proving his abilities in both his pass and run defense. To top it off, Paul also notched his first career interception in the first drive of the Egg Bowl.
Reflecting on the impact of Paul, this quote from Lane Kiffin perfectly embodies the character that Pooh displayed in Oxford.
“He’s awesome. He’s such a cool kid, old-school player. Just how he practices, how much he cares…(for example) we held LSU to a field goal and he came off yelling ‘that’s too much, we should have held them (to no score)….”
– Lane Kiffin on Pooh Paul Jr.
Following his incredible junior season, Paul was named a second-team All-SEC player and a Butkus Award finalist, which is awarded to the “most impactful” linebacker in college football.
📢 Announcing the 2024 #SECFB All-SEC: Second Team!
🔗 https://t.co/TYwBnmIA6H pic.twitter.com/7MznRWyd90
— Southeastern Conference (@SEC) December 10, 2024
Though his passion and intensity will be missed by Ole Miss fans around the country, Paul cemented his legacy as a Rebel and will make an instant impact in the NFL. Congratulations to Pooh and the Paul family! Hotty Toddy and go Rebs!
