Arkansas Razorback Football's 10 Most Important Players in 2022-23: No. 4

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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The decision for Razorback linebacker Bumper Pool to forgo the NFL Draft and return for a fifth season at Arkansas benefited the Hogs mightily.

Last season, the Razorbacks had a trio of linebackers record at least 100 tackles in Pool, Grant Morgan and Hayden Henry. Entering this year, Pool is the clear-cut leader of the linebacker room and the rest of the bunch lacks experience.

Late last season, Razorback head coach Sam Pittman did not shy away from talking about how hard he was pushing for Pool to come back for another year.

"I'm not giving up on Bumper," Pittman said after the Outback Bowl win over Penn State. "Need some help there, leader. I'm not giving up on Bump now. I want him back."

Pool led the Hogs with 125 total tackles during his All-SEC Second Team campaign last season. He was second on the team with 7.5 tackles for loss and he also added two pass deflections.

His 349 career tackles ranks ninth in program history, and he needs just 61 tackles this season to break Tony Bua's school record.

"Bumper Pool is what I would call a super senior, coming back, COVID senior year had 120 tackles at his linebacker position," Pittman said at SEC Media Days. "Great leader. Great kid. I believe if he stays healthy he'll be the all-time leading tackler in the history of the University of Arkansas."

Staying healthy will be key, but if he does, Pool will be extremely valuable to the Razorback defense. He is as close to a lock for a team captain as anyone on the roster.

The Hogs added Alabama transfer linebacker Drew Sanders over the offseason, and redshirt freshman Chris "Pooh" Paul Jr. will likely round out the three rotating starters. Sanders and Paul both lack in-game experience, and experience drops off even more after them.

Building on his individual success had to be a reason Pool came back, but having the chance to build on a nine-win season in 2021-22 was another big factor. He said he wanted to help set a standard at Arkansas.

"It's very important, and it's also a big reason why I came back," Pool said at SEC Media Days. "I wanted to come back to be able set a standard of how you work and what you do in a season...I think you need older guys breathing life into younger guys."

Though he had two seasons in Fayetteville under his belt before Pittman arrived, Pool has adopted Pittman's blue-collar mentality as much as anyone.

Arkansas is going to need Pool to swarm opposing offenses in the second level this season, and it is also going to need him to be a leader on and off the field. He said the key to success is hard work.

"Ultimately if you go in and you work hard, success will be the benefit of it," Pool said.