OP #44

Owen Pappoe

Linebacker · Auburn

One of the fastest linebackers ever timed at the NFL Combine, Owen Pappoe brings elite athleticism to Arizona's linebacker depth chart.

Owen Pappoe is a linebacker for the Arizona Cardinals, selected in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft out of Auburn. Known for his rare speed at the position, he has primarily contributed as a special-teams presence and depth linebacker in his career so far.

★ Fastest 40-yard dash among linebackers at the 2023 NFL Combine (4.39 seconds)

★ Two-time team captain at Auburn

★ Fifth-round pick (No. 168 overall) in the 2023 NFL Draft

Path to the league

Pappoe played four seasons at Auburn, finishing his college career with 256 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, eight sacks, two interceptions and three forced fumbles. His best statistical season came in 2020, when he recorded 93 tackles, four sacks and an interception. A two-time team captain, he became just the fourth player in Auburn program history to earn that honor multiple times. The Cardinals selected him in the fifth round (No. 168 overall) of the 2023 NFL Draft via a trade with the Detroit Lions.

Career highlights

Pappoe posted a 4.39-second 40-yard dash at the 2023 NFL Combine, the fastest of any linebacker at that year's event and the second-fastest by any linebacker in combine history behind Shaquem Griffin's 4.38 in 2018. He paired that with a 35.5-inch vertical jump and a 10-foot-6 broad jump.

2025 season recap

Pappoe served as a depth inside linebacker for Arizona in 2025 and dealt with a quad injury that landed him on the Week 1 injury report. Across his first three NFL seasons he has appeared in 32 games with two starts, recording 29 tackles, three passes defensed, a quarterback hit and a forced fumble on defense, along with 10 special-teams tackles.