Tulsa’s Chris Paul Goes to Washington in the 7th Round

LAS VEGAS, Nev. –– University of Tulsa offensive lineman Chris Paul was the second Golden Hurricane player chosen in the 2022 NFL Draft as the Washington Commanders made Paul the 230^th overall pick, the ninth selection of the seventh round.

Paul joined fellow Tulsa offensive line-mate Tyler Smith as selections in this year's NFL Draft, becoming the fourth and fifth Tulsa players in the last three years to be drafted. Smith was the first round draft pick of the Dallas Cowboys.

"The greatest thing with Chris is that he's such a team player. He brings a lot of versatility and he's shown that on tape. He's played both on the right and left sides at both guard and tackle," said Tulsa Head Coach Philip Montgomery.

"As a young guy for us, Chris played inside at guard on both sides and he handled those situations very well," said Montgomery. "As he matured, we moved him outside to the tackle spots where he showed his athleticism, length and what he brings to the table there.

"Obviously, it's a dream come true for Chris. I'm extremely excited for him and his family and so proud of all that he's accomplished and what lies ahead of him at the next level."

At Tulsa, Paul played in 42 career games and started 38 contests in his four seasons after redshirting as a true freshman in 2017. He started games at both the guard and tackle positions during his career.

The 6'4", 324-pound tackle from Houston, Texas, played and started 10 games at the position as a senior while missing the final three games with an injury. Paul earned honorable mention American Athletic Conference accolades in 2021 and the year before was a second-team all-AAC selection.

Paul participated in the Senior Bowl and the NFL Combine following his senior season.

Paul's off-the-field endeavors have been numerous during his collegiate career. The last two years, he served as the American Athletic Conference's representative to the NCAA Division I Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). He was also a member of the NCAA Committee to Promote Cultural Diversity and Equity and the NCAA Division I Football Oversight Committee.

Paul was a three-time selection to Tulsa's "Ultimate Team", an award recognizing the school's top student-athletes based on academic achievement, athletic success, campus involvement, character and community outreach.

"Chris is highly intelligent and highly motivated. He's a tremendous team guy. He is going to do everything right on and off the field. Like he has been for us, he will be an ambassador for Washington and will make their team better," added Montgomery.

Tulsa’s Chris Paul Goes to Washington in the 7th Round

Players Mentioned

Chris Paul

Tyler Smith

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