LSU LB Harold Perkins finding his groove as a true freshman

For the second time in four games, LSU linebacker Harold Perkins led the Tigers in total tackles. The first time came in the win over Southern in Week 2, and after earning the start in the Week 4 matchup with New Mexico, the true freshman logged a team-high seven tackles in the shutout win over the Lobos.

And while the opener against Florida State brought largely special teams work, Perkins stepped into his first Southeastern Conference game against Mississippi State in Week 3 and shined.

Following the win over the Bulldogs, Perkins landed on the On3 True Freshman Standouts of the Week on a night where he was seemingly everywhere for an LSU defense that put the clamps on Mike Leach and Mississippi State’s offense.

“Harold Perkins was among the more athletic defenders in the 2022 recruiting cycle,” said On3 Director of Scouting and Rankings Charles Power. “He was a dynamic two-way star at Cypress (Texas) Cy Park as a running back and linebacker with an electronically-timed 40-yard dash in the 4.4’s.

“Perkins showed off his supreme athleticism for LSU (against Mississippi State), creating considerable disruption as a blitzer and pass rusher. The former five-star prospect tallied five tackles, 1.5 sacks and five pressures. His initial quickness and closing speed stood out throughout the game, including on a drive-killing sack in the 3rd quarter.

“Don’t be surprised to see Perkins’ role as a pass rusher continue to increase if his showing (in Week 3) was any indication.”

Brian Kelly weighs in on the immediate impact from Perkins

Perkins left high school ranked as the No. 9 overall prospect and No. 1 linebacker in the 2022 On3 Consensus, so it’s no surprise he’s made an early splash in Baton Rouge.

But, what does the early success mean for his future in Year 1 as part of an impressive LSU defense under first-year defensive coordinator Matt House?

“Here’s the thing with Harold. He is going to flash because of his skill set,” LSU head coach Brian Kelly said on Monday. “I mean, he is twitchy. He is fast. He has all those tools that are going to allow him to show.

“Then, Matt is doing a great job of keeping it in the easiest form within a defense. He has just gotten here, so to give him the entire playbook is not fair to him, so Matt has given him pieces of the playbook that allows him to go play fast because that’s his best trait, but he is learning.”

Moving forward, expect more of the same from the freshman LB

For the most part, Perkins has been used as a blitzing linebacker who can be disruptive against the run and pass, and he’s now logged 21 tackles with two tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks across the first four games of his college career.

“I think there’s a role for him,” Kelly said. “Certainly, he adds something to our pass rush and we certainly saw that. That’s why he got the opportunity to play out on the edge a little bit. You saw him inside with some blitzing inside. I think we found a niche for him in terms of where he can help us. He can continue to evolve into that position.

“Now, is he going to beat out BJ Ojulari at that position? I don’t think so. But he can certainly lend some support to that position. And certainly in some dime and nickel packages.”

Whether it’s in a starting role or as the backup to Ojulari, one thing is clear. Each week, the former five-star prospect seems to settle in a little more.

“I’ll tell you what, he is so coachable,” Kelly said. “That’s the great part about it. He comes to the sideline. He wants to know what he needs to do better each and every snap.

“We’re really pleased with his progress, but I think what we’re more pleased with is what he is doing off the field in the classroom and then how coachable he is.”