Harold Perkins Jr. is leaving LSU.
According to a report from CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz on Wednesday, Perkins plans to enter the 2026 NFL Draft. A redshirt junior, Perkins had 1 more year of eligibility to use with the Tigers, but after a return to form in 2025, he’ll look to make the jump to the NFL.
In his latest positional rankings, ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has Perkins ranked as his 11th-best outside linebacker in the draft class.
But Perkins’s traits could lead to a surge on team boards once the pre-draft testing process begins. Positional uncertainty and an injury-shortened junior season have helped to tamp down Perkins’s stock, which was sky-high after his freshman season.
The New Orleans native appeared in 14 games as a true freshman and started 8 times. He totaled 72 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, 2 pass breakups, 1 interception, and 4 forced fumbles in his first year of college ball.
He was a Freshman All-American and a second-team All-SEC selection by the league’s coaches.
The following season, Perkins totaled 75 tackles, 13 more TFLs, 5.5 sacks, 5 pass breakups, 1 interception, and 3 forced fumbles. LSU tried to move Perkins into more of an off-ball linebacker role but bailed on that plan after the opening game of the season.
Again, in 2024, LSU experimented with Perkins’s alignment within the defense. He started at middle ‘backer in Week 2 of the campaign. But he was injured in Week 4 and lost for the year because of a knee issue.
Perkins returned to appear in 12 games for the Tigers this past fall, starting 11. He recorded 56 tackles, 8 TFLs, 4 sacks, 3 pass breakups, 3 interceptions, and a forced fumble.
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
