Atlanta Falcons rookie linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. is already giving fans something to watch, and a recent workout with pass-rush coach Marcus Howard only added to the intrigue.
Howard, a former Georgia Bulldogs edge rusher, has been working with several notable players, including Falcons linebacker Jalon Walker, LaCale London, and Azeez Ojulari. Seeing Perkins in that setting makes it easy to picture him attacking the edge again, even though he said during OTAs that he would begin his Falcons career at linebacker.
That split is what makes Perkins such an interesting piece. At 6-foot-0 and 223 pounds, he’s undersized for a full-time pass rusher, but that was also where he flashed the most upside at LSU. He played both linebacker and edge there, and the workout with Howard naturally raises the question of what his role will look like in 2026.
Perkins arrived in college with a massive reputation. He was a five-star recruit and the No. 1 linebacker in the country coming out of high school, and his first season at LSU backed up the hype. As a freshman, he posted 72 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, and 7.5 sacks, spending most of that year as an edge rusher and winning with speed and active hands.
“Imagine telling someone after Harold Perkins’ Freshman year he would be a 6th Rounder 😳 pic.twitter.com/TTGTkcIytQ”
LSU shifted him to inside linebacker for his sophomore season, and that move didn’t come with the same comfort level. He bounced around the defense that year, including time at Mike and Sam linebacker, and while the numbers were still strong, they didn’t match what he had done as a freshman.
An ACL injury then interrupted his junior year and sent him back to LSU for a senior season. He was used all over the defense again, though he started mostly at linebacker, and he finished with a career-high three interceptions. Even so, his other production dipped as he worked his way back to full strength.
Over the course of his college career, Perkins logged more than 600 snaps at edge, more than 900 at linebacker, more than 700 in coverage, and more than 200 on special teams. He really did line up everywhere.
“I feel like my best attribute is just being versatile, doing a little bit of everything like I've been saying," Perkins said at OTAs. "Whatever my coaches and my teammates need me to do at that time, that's what I'm gonna do."
That versatility is part of the appeal, but as a sixth-round pick, Perkins probably won’t be asked to do everything right away. He’ll need to carve out a specific job, and Jeff Ulbrich’s defense offers one that fits.
Ulbrich’s system sent linebackers on blitzes at the second-highest rate in the league last season, and that kind of pressure package plays right into Perkins’ strengths. It lets him rush the passer from a spot that suits his frame better than living on the edge full-time.
The path to snaps may not be immediate, though. Atlanta has a crowded linebacker group, so Perkins is unlikely to see heavy action early.
If he can prove himself in that blitz role, his playing time should grow. Special teams could also become a major avenue for him in Year 1, where his athleticism and versatility should stand out.
Two years removed from the ACL injury, Perkins remains one of the more interesting rookies on the Falcons’ roster. The talent is obvious. Now it’s about where the coaching staff decides to use it.
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