Bumper Pool (American football)

Pool attended Lovejoy High School in Lucas, Texas. After a performance that included 19 tackles and three tackles for loss, Pool was named the Defensive player of the week by The Dallas Morning News.^[1] A four-star recruit, Pool had offers from Arkansas, Michigan, and Alabama.^[2] Pool committed to play college football at the University of Arkansas.^[3]

In Pool's first career game, as a freshman in 2018, he contributed with six tackles and a fumble return.^[4] In his freshman season, Pool played in ten games totaling 29 tackles.^[5] As a sophomore in 2019, Pool amassed 94 tackles including 6.5 tackles for loss.^[6] The following season, Pool was named to the Second team All-SEC.^[7] In a shortened ten-game season, Pool recorded 101 total tackles.^[8] He averaged 11.2 tackles per game finishing second in the SEC. In 2021, Pool once again was named to the Second team All-SEC, tallying 125 tackles.^[9] Pool decided to return for a fifth year at Arkansas, using the year of eligibility granted from the COVID-19 shortened season.^[10] Entering the season, Pool was named to the Butkus Award watch list.^[11] Pool was also named to the Phil Steele preseason First team All-SEC and Second team All-American teams.^[12][13] Pool was named the 39th best player in the upcoming college football season by ESPN.^[14] In his final season, Pool totaled 92 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, and two sacks, while being named to the Second team All-SEC for the third consecutive season.^[15] With 441 career tackles, Pool became the school's all-time leading tackler, surpassing Tony Bua's previous record of 408.^[16]

When Pool was 16, he legally changed his name to Bumper James Morris Pool.^[20][21][22] The name Bumper originated from his father's love for bumper pool as a child.^[23]

Pool appeared in a question of a 2018 episode of Jeopardy!.^[24]