NFL Draft 2012: Nick Perry Declares for Draft, Ready To Pressure NFL QBs

The USC Trojans have officially said goodbye to junior defensive lineman Nick Perry.

Perry led the Pac-12 with 9.5 sacks this year, and is widely considered to be one of the top prospects at the position. He announced his decision to enter the 2012 NFL draft on Sunday.

Trojans head coach Lane Kiffin knows his defense just lost an enormous piece:

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He was an awesome pass rusher for us and he created havoc throughout the Pac-12 this year in a league that featured many of the nation’s most dangerous passing offenses. He will be a valued addition to any NFL team and should be an attractive choice in the upcoming draft. We counseled Nick throughout his decision-making process, and we stand behind him on this decision. His career progression at USC continued climbing to a point where he was ready to make the jump to the NFL.

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It's a tough blow for USC, and it comes just days after junior offensive tackle Matt Kalil declared for the draft as well. QB Matt Barkley still has yet to make up his mind and safety T.J. McDonald is another candidate to leave early.

Standing at 6'4" 240 pounds, Perry has the size to excel in the NFL as long as he gets stronger. His biggest asset is the ability to explode off the line and instantly blow up a play. He has the speed to track down running backs and the quickness to blow by bigger offensive lineman.

The big issue with having such a high motor like Perry is that he tends to overrun the ball carrier at times. This is something that good coaching can fix.

So how high will a guy with 4.5 speed go?

Early projections have him somewhere in the middle of the first round, but I think he jumps up much higher during the combine. He has the athletic ability to blow away the scouts on hand and that'll propel him into a top 10 pick.

In other words, Perry made the right decision in entering the draft.