FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — With the 215th pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Atlanta Falcons selected LSU linebacker Harold Perkins Jr.
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This is the second linebacker the Falcons have selected on Day 3 after taking Kendal Daniels in the fourth round. Perkins is a very good athlete who was productive for LSU with 17 sacks in four seasons. He also recorded 220 tackles, 35.5 tackles for a loss, 10 pass defenses and five interceptions for the Tigers during his college career despite missing most of the 2024 season due to an injury. Perkins was used in a variety of ways at LSU, but he found a way to make plays wherever he lined up. Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich can get creative with Perkins.
Let's take a closer look at what Perkins brings to Atlanta.
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 220 pounds
Age: 21
School: LSU
2025 Stats: Started 11 out of 12 games played | 56 total tackles (8 for a loss) | 4 sacks | 1 forced fumble | 3 interceptions
Honors: Freshman All-American (2022), Freshman All-SEC (2022), Second Team All-SEC (2023), Third Team All-SEC (2025)
Expert Opinions
Dane Brugler, The Athletic: "Perkins is impressive with sideline-to-sideline range, twitchy burst and speed to close. He is at his best as an open-field rat or blitzer, because he can get home in a hurry, regardless of the angle or depth. Though he has the athleticism to drop as a hook/curl defender, he plays too reactive and is still developing his feel in coverage. The main concerns about his game are his lack of physicality as a take-on player and that he leaves too much tackle production on the field, either because he misses in space or doesn't have the strength to finish. Overall, Perkins is a complicated NFL prospect. His explosive athleticism jumps off the tape, but he has a tweener skill set and comes with concerns about position fit at the next level. NFL coaches will need a clear vision and timeline for his development."
NFL Draft Buzz: "What Perkins does offer is rare speed at the linebacker position and enough pass-rush skill to be a weapon on designed pressures. He fits best as a WILL linebacker or hybrid STAR defender where he can attack downhill and rush the passer on passing situations rather than sorting through traffic in coverage every snap. Defenses that deploy sub-packages heavily and need someone who can pressure the quarterback from multiple alignments will find value here. His ability to line up on the edge, in the box, and over slot receivers gives coordinators options, even if he is not a finished product in any single spot."
Matt Holder, Bleacher Report: "Hybrid linebackers have become more popular in the NFL, and Harold Perkins fits the description to a tee. LSU used him all over its defense, lining him up at off-ball linebacker, on the edge and over the slot, thus helping develop a versatile skill set."
Why He Fits
Perkins set the SEC on fire in his first two collegiate seasons, what with 147 total tackles (26 for a loss), 13 sacks, two interceptions and seven forced fumbles through his true freshman and sophomore years. He was a machine, and did just about everything for those LSU defenses. A torn ACL in his right knee, however, sidelined Perkins for the majority of 2024. He worked back from said injury and put up a pretty solid stat line in his return.
Overall, this is a player with tremendous upside who flew under the radar. Interestingly enough, Perkins was ranked one spot ahead of Kendal Daniels (who the Falcons took with their fourth-round pick) in The Beast draft guide. Perkins will have a chance to compete with the other linebackers in his incoming class.
Perkins also has the hybrid look and experience defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich covets. He played a hybrid Star linebacker position in LSU's 4-2-5 base. Plus he has the speed, running a 4.45 40-time. That ranked in the 96th percentile for his position.
This story will continue to be updated.
Join us as we highlight the Atlanta Falcons' newest additions from the 2026 NFL Draft class.
