Can Rams expect Ernest Jones type rise from rookie Chris Paul Jr.

Chris Paul Jr. was a fifth-round steal for the Rams, but can he make an impact as a rookie?

Heading into the offseason, the Los Angeles Rams had a major need at linebacker. After trading away Ernest Jones in training camp, the Rams managed to get by at linebacker with Troy Reeder, Christian Rozeboom, and Omar Speights.

By the end of free agency, the Rams didn’t sign a big-name linebacker like Dre Greenlaw or Jamien Sherwood. Instead, they moved on from Rozeboom and brought back Reeder while signing Nate Landman from the Atlanta Falcons. During the draft, the Rams opted not to select Jihaad Campbell in the first round. The second, third, and fourth round came and went without general manager Les Snead addressing the position. Finally, with the fifth to last pick in the fifth round, the Rams selected Ole Miss linebacker Chris Paul Jr.

Many expected Paul to be selected much earlier and therefore a steal in the fifth round. Matt Holder from Bleacher Report gave Paul a third-round grade and wrote,

“Chris Paul Jr. has a high ceiling in the NFL as he could develop into a well-rounded linebacker. He’s a good athlete for the position. He is already good in coverage due to impressive movement skills to stay in phase against running backs and tight ends when playing man and tighten throwing windows in zone coverage…Overall, Paul’s traits are worth betting on and he’d be a good fit as a WILL linebacker. It might take some time, but he can potentially become a quality starter in the NFL during his rookie contract and maybe even by year two.”

Given that the Rams did get a potential steal at linebacker in the fifth-round, it’s no surprise that there is a lot of excitement around him heading into his rookie season. The big question, however, is how much of an impact will Paul have as a rookie?

While there is serious opportunity at the linebacker position on the Rams roster, they are a team that tends to bring rookies along slowly. There’s a reason they brought back Reeder and also signed an experienced player in Landman. Even Ernest Jones who was drafted in the third round didn’t start until Week 8 of his rookie season. Omar Speights impressed during the offseason and didn’t start until an injury to Reeder allowed it. He got his first start in Week 8 and didn’t start consistently until Week 10.

Jones entered a similar situation at linebacker in 2021 in which there was a lot of opportunity. Reeder was the starting linebacker with Kenny Young next to him. When Young was traded to the Broncos, Jones got his opportunity.

However, while this Rams linebacker group may not be top-heavy at the linebacker position, for the first time in awhile, they do have some depth. Speights, Landman, and Reeder all have starting experience. Both Speights and Landman excelled against the run last season. Meanwhile, Reeder is an experienced player in the system. Where does Paul fit into that and who does he play over as a rookie? At best, he may be the third linebacker behind Speights and Landman. Maybe he’s starting next to Speights by Week 9 or 10 if Landman struggles.

It’s also worth mentioning Paul’s size limitations. When it comes to linebackers in the NFL, the size threshold for arm length is typically around 32-inches. That was the average arm length for linebackers in the 2025 draft class. The importance here is that linebackers with longer arms are able to disengage from blocks. Simply put, it makes tackling easier as it increases the tackle radius and therefore decreases the margin for error.

Some players like Luke Kuechly have had success with shorter arms, but rarely do linebackers have arms shorter than 30-inches. That’s the case with Paul who has an arm length of 29.875-inches which is in the first percentile. At just 222-pounds, he’s in just the third percentile there as well.

Mockdraftable

The Rams have shown in the past that they don’t necessarily care too much about size thresholds, especially if the player is considered undersized. In Paul’s case, he at least seems to be aware of his limitations. As Dane Brugler from The Athletic noted,

“His lack of inches stands out, but he doesn’t try to be something he’s not and compensates for his lack of take-on length by eluding blockers or attacking full-speed into contact.”

Still, it is something worth mentioning as Troy Reeder also has sub-30 inch arms. For comparison, Jones’ arm length was in the 88th percentile.

This is not to say that Paul can’t be successful. Blake Cashman has the shortest arm length in the NFL among starting linebackers at 30.125-inch arms. It is possible that he is able to overcome it in the same way that Cashman has.

There is a lot of excitement around Paul and for good reason. Despite his lighter weight and shorter arms, he was the most efficient tackler among drafted linebackers. His 4.5 percent missed tackle rate ranked fifth in college football last season.

At the same time, his shorter arm length and lighter weight in combination with the players above him on the depth chart could mean that his impact is more felt on special teams early in his career. He’ll need to prove early that he isn’t a liability in the run game.

For the first time in awhile, the Rams have players worth being excited about at the linebacker position. Omar Speights will be coming off of a strong rookie year, they drafted Chris Paul, and undrafted free agent Shaun Dolac also brings upside. Still, it may take time for someone like Paul to break through as he develops and that’s ok. Even if Paul doesn’t start as a rookie, it shouldn’t be seen as a knock on his development.

At the end of the day, Paul has potential. If he can continue to find ways to compensate for his physical limitations in the NFL, it won’t be long before he pushes for playing time.