The Falcons may have found one of the biggest bargains of the 2026 NFL Draft, and Harold Perkins Jr. is already giving people reasons to believe it.
Atlanta grabbed the LSU linebacker at pick 215 in the sixth round, a spot where a player with his talent and athletic profile was not expected to last. The Falcons moved fast when he was still there, and now they’re seeing the kind of offseason work that has fans buzzing before training camp even begins.
Perkins has been training this summer with former Georgia Bulldogs standout and pass-rush specialist Marcus Howard, and a seven-second workout clip has taken off on social media. In the video, Perkins flashes the kind of bend and burst that made him such a coveted prospect in the first place.
At 6-foot-1 and 225 pounds, he covers ground with startling ease. The speed through the drill jumps off the screen, and it’s the same explosiveness that turned heads when he first arrived at LSU.
Howard knows a thing or two about getting after quarterbacks. As a senior in 2007, he led the SEC with 10.5 sacks, while also posting 12.5 tackles for loss and 41 tackles in 13 games. He’s the kind of mentor who should understand exactly how to sharpen Perkins’ game.
Perkins’ college resume still shows why the Falcons were willing to take the gamble. He broke out as a freshman in 2022 and looked like a future top-five pick, piling up 13 sacks, two interceptions, 26 tackles for loss and 147 tackles across his first two seasons.
But his production dipped over his final two years, when he finished with four sacks, three interceptions, 9.5 tackles for loss and 73 tackles. That slide is part of why he was still on the board late, and part of why Atlanta was able to land him where it did.
The fit with Jeff Ulbrich makes this even more interesting. Ulbrich has built a reputation for getting the most out of smaller linebackers, starting with Deion Jones and later working with Jamien Sherwood in New York and Divine Deablo last season. Sherwood and Deablo both had safety backgrounds, and Perkins may not have played safety, but his body type still gives off that kind of look.
For now, the Falcons are betting that Ulbrich and Howard can help turn Perkins into the kind of player other teams regret passing on.
In Other News...
Falcons QB Battle Just Took A Tense Turn Before Camp
The Falcons quarterback picture has already taken on a sharper edge before training camp even opens, with the team set to stage an open competition between Tua Tagovailoa and Michael Penix. Tagovailoa arrived in Atlanta on a one-year deal after being released by Miami, and the move immediately put one of the leagues most watched quarterback situations back in the spotlight for a franchise that has been searching for stability since Matt Ryans departure.
Patrick Paul, who spent time with Tagovailoa in Miami, added another layer to the conversation by saying he expects Tagovailoa to come out on top. It is a confident prediction for a player coming off a difficult season, and it only heightens the pressure around a camp battle that already feels like it could shape the direction of Atlantas offense well beyond August. [Read more 🡒]
ESPN Rankings Just Exposed The Falcons Biggest Roster Problem
ESPNs annual position rankings offered a familiar snapshot of where the Falcons have been strongest, and where they still have work to do. Atlanta landed several players near the top at non-premium spots, with Bijan Robinson leading the running back group, Chris Lindstrom again rating among the leagues best interior linemen and Kyle Pitts sliding back into the top 10 at tight end. Jake Matthews and A.J. Terrell only drew honorable mention, but the broader picture was clear: the Falcons can point to real talent, just not always at the spots that most shape games in the modern NFL.
That imbalance has been part of the story behind Atlantas recent losing records, because the roster has often been built around quality at positions that matter less than quarterback, wide receiver, offensive tackle, defensive tackle, edge rusher and cornerback. Terry Fontenot tried late to patch those holes, including the selection of Michael Penix Jr. and edge rushers, and the front office has since shifted under Ian Cunningham, who has started leaning harder into premium positions with his early draft picks. The rankings only sharpen that conversation, especially with some of the most important spots still waiting for the Falcons to prove they can match their best non-premium talent. [Read more 🡒]