When the Los Angeles Rams drafted Chris “Pooh” Paul Jr. in the fifth round, fans were elated to see them finally address a position that’s been viewed as a weak link. The former Ole Miss linebacker plays with a ton of speed, energy and impressive instincts, which makes him such an exciting prospect.
He has a long way to go before he earns a spot in the starting lineup but inside linebackers coach Greg Williams likes what he’s seen from the rookie thus far. Rams staff writer Wyatt Miller asked Williams this offseason what he liked about Paul coming out of Ole Miss, and he immediately said, “aggressiveness.”
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For that reason, Williams says, “I don’t even think we’ve seen the best of Pooh because we don’t have pads on.”
It can be challenging for linebackers to stand out in OTAs and minicamp when there’s no hitting, but Paul’s athleticism is going to be on display during training camp and the preseason when the pads come on.
In addition to his physical traits on the field, Williams also likes Paul’s work ethic off the field.
“That kid has been unbelievable as far as his preparation,” Williams said. “He’s a football guy. It is his number one priority. So, with that being said, I’m going with him because I think he’s going to will himself to be good.”
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Paul has Omar Speights, Nate Landman and possibly even Troy Reeder ahead of him on the depth chart right now but he can overtake all of them at some point this season if he develops the way the Rams hope he will. He has the traits to be a starting linebacker in the NFL despite being undersized, especially in a Rams defense that has a top-tier front along the line of scrimmage.
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This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams rookie Chris ‘Pooh’ Paul Jr.