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For those keeping score, Gionni Paul racked up 79 more tackles, three more interceptions and 10 more tackles for loss than injured Pac-12 linebacking brethren Scooby Wright and Myles Jack combined in 2015.
But as the NFL world turns its eyes to Indianapolis this weekend for the league's annual combine, Paul lags behind UCLA's Jack and Arizona's Wright in terms of "draft stock" because of a measurable he can't control: height.
Checking in at 5-foot-101⁄8 on Friday, Paul's official combine measurement could determine if he's among the league's April draftees or an undrafted free agent. His measurement puts him shortest among linebackers in the past three NFL combines.
Kevin Conner, Paul's agent, said this week the former Utah linebacker won't hide from any criticisms of his build.
"That's something that we can't change, but we'll address it head on," Conner said. "I think teams will have an acquired taste in terms of what they look for in the measurements."
CBS Sports senior draft analyst Dane Brugler projects Paul as a late-round pick, complimenting the linebacker's "aggressive nature" and "play speed," but citing concerns with his build and ability to cut through the traffic of NFL-sized offensive linemen.
"He has a nose for the ball and his sense of smell is fantastic," Brugler said via email. "But his size does limit him, especially near the line of scrimmage."
Brugler also brought up the need for Paul to test well in the gauntlet of 10- to 15-minute scout and team personnel interviews to address maturity concerns stemming from what the linebacker described to the Tribune in October as "small trouble" before transferring from Miami to Utah.
Conner characterized any Paul missteps at Miami as "minor things" that the linebacker used as a "learning experience."
"Gionni told me that he preferred those things to happen early on so he could learn from them," Conner said. "He's moved on, that's in his past and he's looking forward to a bright future."
Football analytics website Pro Football Focus rated Paul as a second team All-Pac-12 linebacker in 2015, assigning him a plus-10.2 grade for the season — ranking him among the top end of the linebacker draft class.
"I think he did a good job against the run this year and for the most part, made the plays in front of him," PFF senior analyst Steve Palazzolo said. "I don't think there was a ton of flash there, but from my initial viewing, I like what I saw."
However, Palazzolo also lauded the depth at linebacker in this draft, featuring fellow local prospects Nick Vigil and Jared Norris and top end talents like Alabama's Reggie Ragland, that could push Paul further down the prospect list.
Conner won't venture a guess to where his client may end up — preferring to let the combine and next two months of evaluation decide whether NFL general managers think Paul will fall short or stand tall for their teams.
"I never try to predict the draft. I can tell you that Gionni is a true, outside 4-3 linebacker," Conner said. "That's what his skill set is, I think that's what he'll excel in in terms of the next level on Sundays."
Twitter: @BrennanJSmith —
Utah prospects at the NFL combine
• Devontae Booker, running back, Utah
• Tevin Carter, safety, Utah
• James Cowser, defensive end, Southern Utah
• Kyler Fackrell, linebacker, Utah State
• Jason Fanaika, defensive end, Utah
• Tom Hackett, punter, Utah
• Bronson Kaufusi, defensive end, BYU
• Miles Killebrew, safety, Southern Utah
• Jared Norris, linebacker, Utah
• Gionni Paul, linebacker, Utah
• Hunter Sharp, wide receiver, Utah State
• LeShaun Sims, cornerback, Southern Utah
• Nick Vigil, linebacker, Utah State