LSU linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. is expected to miss the rest of the season after tearing his ACL in the Tigers’ 34-17 win against UCLA on Saturday, a source with knowledge of the situation confirmed to The Athletic.
It’s a big blow for LSU and for Perkins, a former five-star recruit who is No. 20 on Dane Brugler’s Big Board for the 2025 NFL Draft. 247Sports first reported the extent of Perkins’ injury.
Perkins lit up college football as a freshman pass-rusher in 2022, breaking onto the scene with 7.5 total sacks. He moved to linebacker last year with mixed results, though he once again ended with respectable counting stats: 13 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. Perkins beefed up in the offseason to around 225 pounds to play weakside linebacker, and the junior was awarded the legendary No. 7 jersey in fall camp. He moved to strongside linebacker before the South Carolina game. Perkins had 17 tackles through four games this year.
Head coach Brian Kelly said after Saturday’s game that LSU’s defense would have to adjust without Perkins.
“We’ve got a lot of options there,” Kelly said. “We hope he’s OK. We hope he’s back for us. But we’ll be able to move into other packages that resemble what we’re doing.”
LSU, 3-1, has already faced season-ending injuries to running back John Emery Jr. and defensive tackle Jacobian Guillory. — Vannini
What this means for his Draft future
One of the top athletes in all of college football, Perkins was considered a potential top-25 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft class prior to his injury.
Though his best highlights came when he was rushing the passer, he is viewed as more of an off-ball linebacker at the next level due to his size (6-foot-0, 220 pounds).
Even with the position debate, Perkins was expected to land in Round 1, in large part because of his speed (one scout said Perkins would test in the 4.3s at the combine), although a fall into Day Two is now likely if he declares. However, a potential return to Baton Rouge for the 2025 season shouldn’t be ruled out either. In the world of NIL, it is a more realistic option for a player like Perkins, who could get paid next season while rebuilding his draft stock. — Brugler
(Photo: Stephen Lew / Imagn Images)
