The Atlanta Falcons will take a big step toward the 2026 season when they host their rookie minicamp this week. The 41 players who will attend this year’s minicamp, including the team’s six draft picks, will all look to make an early impression. But it could be a massive opportunity for sixth-round selection Harold Perkins Jr.
Perkins was a standout player at LSU and faces an uphill battle to make the roster as a Day 3 pick. But with his versatility as a selling point and a Falcons depth chart that has questions at linebacker, he could be a Swiss Army Knife that climbs the depth chart quickly during the offseason program and training camp.
Harold Perkins Jr.’s versatility could make him fast riser during Falcons’ offseason
A native of New Orleans, Perkins was able to make an immediate impact when playing for his home state Tigers. He racked up 72 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, and 7.5 sacks in his freshman season in 2022, then backed it up with 75 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, and 5.5 sacks, plus an interception, in his sophomore season.
Just as it looked like his draft stock was surging, Perkins was limited to four games in his junior season after tearing his ACL. He finished with 56 total tackles, eight tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks, and three interceptions, and also split his time between linebacker and safety, even playing some slot coverage.
This is where Perkins’s outlook got difficult. In addition to the decline in production, he’s undersized at 6-feet and 222 pounds. Too small for a linebacker, his athleticism could help him move to safety at with a time of 4.45 seconds in the 40-yard dash and a 10-foot-4 inch broad jump at his Pro Day per the Relative Athletic Score (RAS) website. But he also allowed 29 catches for 279 yards and a touchdown on 36 targets at LSU last year.
Still, it feels like the Falcons could find a role. Perhaps it would require a little more weight, and the Falcons are set at linebacker with Divine Deablo and free agent pickup Christian Harris. Fourth-round pick Kendal Daniels should also make the roster, but Perkins could unseat Troy Andersen, who has battled injuries throughout his career.
Atlanta’s back end of the secondary also seems set with Xavier Watts and Jessie Bates as starting safeties. But Perkins could mix in with Sydney Brown and DeMarcco Hellmans as a movable chess piece in Jeff Ulbrich's defense.
Whatever the role, Perkins will have to stand out beginning with this weekend’s camp. If he continues that momentum through training camp and preseason, he should have a chance to force his way into the Falcons' plans.
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