The San Francisco 49ers were among several teams that met with Ole Miss linebacker Chris Paul Jr. at the East-West Shrine Bowl in January.
"I feel like I had a great interview with every team I sat down with," Paul told Justin Melo of The Draft Network. "A couple teams I felt it went really well with were the Falcons. I spoke with them a bunch. Green Bay was another one. The Jaguars, Steelers, Cowboys, and Commanders went well. The Seahawks, they went well. Those are a few teams that come to mind. I also met with the Rams, Chiefs, Panthers, 49ers, Cardinals, and Lions, to name a few."
Paul spent his first three collegiate seasons at Arkansas before transferring to Ole Miss for his final year. In 2024, he recorded 88 tackles (11 for a loss), 3.5 sacks, one interception, and four passes defensed.
His standout performance earned him an 87.2 defensive grade from Pro Football Focus, ranking sixth among all collegiate linebackers. Paul also posted an 84.6 run defense grade and an 85.9 tackling grade, missing only four tackles in 621 total snaps (including the postseason).
The 49ers may be preparing for the possible departure of star linebacker Dre Greenlaw this offseason. Greenlaw is set to become a free agent next month after a shortened 2024 campaign in which he was recovering from an Achilles injury. The veteran linebacker played in only two games last season.
When asked what type of linebacker an NFL team would get in him, Paul said, "They're going to get somebody with a lot of passion for the game. I'm willing to lay my body on the line for my teammates. I expect the same from them. I expect 110% effort. You're always going to get my best. You're getting somebody who plays fast and physically. I'm not afraid to get my hands dirty. I'm a high-energy guy. Let's feed off one another."
