Harold Perkins Jr., LSU: 2025 NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report

Perkins was a five-star recruit from Cypress Park High School in Cypress, Texas in the class of 2022

After tearing his ACL against UCLA, Harold Perkins Jr. needs to decide if he will still enter the 2025 NFL Draft or return to LSU for his senior season and try to elevate his fluctuating stock.

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Harold Perkins Jr., LB LSU: 2025 NFL Draft Profile

Classification: Junior weakside linebacker from New Orleans, La.

Background: Perkins was a five-star recruit from Cypress Park High School in Cypress, Texas in the class of 2022. He was the No. 8 recruit according to 247Sports, No. 34 for Rivals (four-star), and No. 9 for On3.com. ESPN ranked him 4th in the nation with a 93 grade out of 100. Perkins originally committed to Texas A&M before flipping to LSU. He played on offense and defense in high school. Perkins amassed 29 tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks, three interceptions, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, and a defensive touchdown as a senior. On offense, he produced 1,194 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns on 67 carries and 13 receptions for 300 yards and three touchdowns. As a junior, Perkins made 47 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, six passes defensed, three forced fumbles, a fumble recovered for a touchdown, and a blocked field goal. He carried the ball 96 times for 983 yards and 14 touchdowns and had 19 receptions for 371 yards and three touchdowns. Perkins totaled 46 tackles, nine tackles for loss, four sacks, an interception, seven passes defensed, a fumble recovery, a pick-six, and a blocked punt during his sophomore season. On offense, he produced 268 yards and two touchdowns on 31 carries and 71 yards and a touchdown on four receptions. Perkins also returned a handful of kicks during his junior and sophomore seasons. He earned Texas 16-6A First Team All-District honors at running back and linebacker as a junior and senior. Perkins was a First Team All-Greater Houston selection as a running back. According to MaxPreps, he earned Second Team All-Texas and First Team All-American honors in 2020. In 2019, Perkins was the Texas District 14-6A Defensive Newcomer of the Year. He received an invitation to the Under Armour All-America Game. He also played basketball at Cypress Park.

Injuries & Off-Field: Suffered a torn ACL four games into the 2024 season

Awards: 2022 Second Team All-SEC (Coaches), 2022 First Team All-SEC (Associated Press), 2022 SEC All-Freshman Team, 2022 Freshman All-American (ESPN, FWAA, The Athletic), 2023 Second Team All-SEC

Overview: Perkins has special teams experience on the kick coverage, punt return, and field goal block units. He lines up as a MIKE and weakside linebacker and takes snaps in the slot. Perkins is a rare athlete with insane, lightning-quick closing burst, elite speed, sideline-to-sideline range, and loose movement skills that allow for sudden changes in direction. Unfortunately, he’s undersized by every measurement. Perkins likely falls below the league’s height, weight, and arm length thresholds for a linebacker. Against the run, Perkins is best as a penetrating downhill or backside defender or a pursuit-style player working horizontally. He lacks the size and technique to stack and shed blockers between the tackles. His poor length and size play roles in these struggles. Perkins pulls blocking wide receivers forward to slip past them, but he gets stuck on tight end blocks. He doesn’t anchor well and is displaced far too easily by wide receivers or tight ends. The junior’s lack of experience as an off-ball linebacker shows up in his poor run fits. He bites on eye candy and misdirection in the backfield. Perkins plays so fast that he’s often out of control. This leads to dozens of missed tackles. The Louisiana native offers excellent range in coverage. He reads the quarterback’s eyes and keeps his head on a swivel to locate potential threats. He undercuts routes in zone when he feels the quarterback narrowing in on a receiver. Perkins has the speed to carry running backs downfield, stick with slot options vertically, and gain excellent depth quickly after bailing out of exotic defensive fronts. Play action draws him downhill, and his awareness and instincts in coverage are underdeveloped. He’s uncomfortable in man coverage and is slow to trigger on routes from zone. Perkins’ most exciting tape is from his time spent on the edge as a pass rusher. He explodes off the line with the speed and low pad level to fly around the corner. The All-SEC selection has the agility to exchange gaps quickly. His hands are combative, and he executes chops, ghost moves, and spins but lacks a deep bag of pass rush moves. Perkins occasionally goes for the long-arm move but lacks the power to finish as a bull rusher. He’s too small and underpowered to play an every-down role on the edge since he can’t anchor the point of attack and lacks the mass to sustain his rush against stout linemen and their powerful punches.  

Overall, Perkins is a heat-seeking missile with rare athletic ability who might break an NFL Combine record or two, but he’s undersized and hasn’t been allowed to develop the instincts and technique needed to play every down at a single primary position. His best path to playing 800+ snaps per year is at off-ball linebacker, but his processing and diagnosis for run fits are still developmental.

Role & Scheme Fit: Weakside linebacker and overhang defender in an even-front

Round Grade: Late Second to Mid Third Round

Size: 6'1", 225 lbs. (Unofficial)

Submitted: 09-02-24

Updated: 09-23-24