The San Francisco 49ers sit in a precarious spot with their linebacking corps entering the 2025 offseason.
Starting Will LB Dre Greenlaw is set to hit free agency where his price tag could balloon above what the 49ers can or will pay for Fred Warner’s running mate.
If San Francisco can’t re-sign Greenlaw, they could turn to the draft to add competition to an already young group. One potential addition via the NFL draft is Ole Miss LB Chris Paul Jr. (no relation to the NBA player). The 49ers met with Paul at the Shrine Bowl according to the Draft Network’s Justin Melo.
Paul is an intriguing prospect who spent his first three years at Arkansas. He had a productive final two years with the Razorbacks where he racked up 136 tackles, 15 tackles for loss and 6.0 sacks across 24 games.
Last season he transferred to Ole Miss where he racked up 88 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, one interception and four pass breakups.
What sticks out with Paul is the versatility that shined during his season with the Rebels. He posted a career-best 24 pressures according to Pro Football Focus, while putting up his best season in coverage.
Paul isn’t an electric athlete and he can sometimes get over-aggressive when diagnosing runs, but he has good instincts and his ascent over his last three college seasons provides some optimism that he could continue growing toward his ceiling as a starting-caliber NFL LB.