Georgia inside linebacker Christopher Paul Jr. (HV Rating: 85.3) committed to Nebraska on Friday. The defender became the fourth known member of the Huskers’ 2021 recruiting class after choosing Nebraska over Cincinnati and Michigan State. Paul makes a great addition to Barrett Ruud’s inside linebacker room.
Here are five thoughts on his commitment.
Georgia Pipeline Still Open
Since Coach Scott Frost took over Nebraska’s program, Georgia has been a priority for this staff. Six Georgia natives have made their way to Lincoln in the last three recruiting classes. Tight ends coach Sean Beckton is the point man in Georgia and has great connections in the state. In this case though, Ruud deserves a tip of the cap for the work he did to land Paul.
Tackle Machine
Paul is a downhill thumper from the inside linebacker position. He projects nicely as a player that will hold his own against the run in the Big Ten. His production has been outstanding during the last two seasons. The defender has racked up over 300 total tackles in the last two years. You don’t just luck into that type of production.
Leadership Qualities
In the times I’ve spoken with Paul, he’s come across as very mature. He’s the type of kid that teammates will follow. He loves the game of football and is highly-competitive, which is a prerequisite for this staff. Paul is a good student in the classroom too. The defender is on track to graduate and enroll early next January. He’s got great intangibles to go along with his skills on the football field.
ILB Recruiting in Great Spot
The inside linebacker group is rapidly changing. It started two cycles ago when Nick Henrich, Garrett Snodgrass and Jackson Hannah signed with Nebraska. It continued last cycle when Eteva Mauga-Clements and Keyshawn Greene joined the fold. Nebraksa currently has 4-star Randolph Kpai paired with Paul. There is still room to take one more at the position. Seth Malcom, Tyler McLaurin, Danny Stutsman and Terrence Lewis are just a few prospects still in play.
Identified Early
Paul represents another early evaluation win for the Huskers. It wouldn’t surprise me to see him move up the rankings through his senior season as he continues to produce more and more. The Huskers offered him a year ago as a sophomore and made him feel like a priority ever since. How Paul’s recruitment went could be a sign of things to come with other future members of the 2021 class that were identified early by Nebraska.
Greg is the Recruiting Analyst for Hail Varsity and has covered Husker athletics since 2013. He has always had a passion for sports while growing up in the Chicago area. As he got older and had to hang up his cleats and sneakers, he realized his passion for sports went beyond just watching and attending games. He has covered many events from the Rose Bowl to championship boxing matches. If he’s not talking sports, he’s hovering over his grill. He is married to an amazing woman, Kim, and they have a dog that barks when Greg yells at the TV during games.
