Harold Perkins Jr. NFL Draft 2026 Scouting Report for Atlanta Falcons LB

Matt HolderJan 29, 2026

The Atlanta Falcons selected LSU LB Harold Perkins Jr. with the No. 215 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft.

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.

The 6'1", 222-pound backer began his collegiate career as a 5-star recruit and the No. 8 player in the 2022 prep class.

Perkins became a starter halfway through his true freshman season, and accumulated 72 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, an interception, two passes defended and four forced fumbles. A a result, he was named in Freshman All-American and first-team All-SEC performer.

Perkins continued to be productive as a sophomore, racking up 75 tackles, 13 TFLs, 5.5 sacks, an interception, five PDs and a conference-leading three FFs to become a second-team All-SEC performer. His early performances led to plenty of preseason hype in 2024, but a torn ACL limited the defender to just four games.

After surgery ahead of this past season, the New Orleans native saw a dip in production with 56 tackles, eight TFLs, four sacks and one FF, but he did snag three interceptions and became a third-team All-SEC selection.

Matt Holder has been a part of B/R's Scouting Department for four seasons. He also writes about the Las Vegas Raiders and NFL draft for SB Nation's Silver and Black Pride, and co-hosts a YouTube Channel, Tape Don't Lie, providing film breakdowns and more draft prospect analysis.

Highlights

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Scroll down for the full scouting report.

Where He Wins

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- Perkins is a good all-around athlete, which helps him cover tight ends.

- His lateral movement skills and short-area quickness help tighten throwing windows and allow him make plays on the ball in zone coverage.

- Good speed to carry the seam in Tampa 2 or click-and-close against checkdowns when playing underneath coverage.

- When blitzing, he finds pass-rush lanes well, with the speed to close on the quarterback. Also, Perkins has enough strength to occasionally beat running backs with power.

- Physical and takes on blocks with his hands as a run-defender, allowing him to defeat blocks from bigger wide receivers and tight ends.

- Hustle player, who doesn't quit on plays. As a result, he will make touchdown-saving tackles.

- Versatile after being used all over the field, with the ability to contribute at multiple levels and several different spots in a pinch.

Areas of Improvement

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- Perkins is undersized by NFL linebacker standards. He could add extra mass to hold his ground when taking on blocks and increase effectiveness/consistency as a pass-rusher.

- Instincts are lacking as a run-defender. He's a little slow to diagnose plays. Also, he has issues locating the ball in the backfield against read options.

- Often gets stuck on blocks in the run game.

- Experienced several mental lapses in coverage where he'll lose his man, cover the wrong receiver or drift out of his area. Also, he has slow run-pass transitions against play-action and tends to leave his man instead of plastering during scramble drills.

- Angles in pursuit are inconsistent, often being too shallow.

- Pad-level when tackling is a problem. He's frequently too high or likes to dive at ankles, leading to a lot of misses.