Brian Kelly analyzes the growing role for Harold Perkins Jr

If there’s a true freshman defender who is going to become a household name in the SEC this season, it’s going to be LSU linebacker, Harold Perkins. He introduced himself against Southern and a week later, had a mini breakout game against Mississippi State. Now, his role is only expected to grow under head coach Brian Kelly.

In the win on Saturday, Perkins was able to disrupt the offensive flow with his pass-rushing ability. Kelly said there is a role for him somewhere in the LSU defense. Whether it’s coming off the edge or staying back at linebacker, Kelly wants to get him on the field.

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Perkins may not overtake some on the depth chart but some kind of rotational role can still be effective.

“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.”

More on Harold Perkins, great start to freshman season

Perkins was rated a five-star prospect coming out of high school by the On3 Consensus, a complete and equally weighted industry-generated average that utilizes all four major recruiting services. He was the No. 9 overall player in the 2022 class and the top linebacker. Only one other player ranked higher in the state of Texas, proving how elite of a prospect Perkins is viewed as.

Now, he’s already making a huge impact on the field for LSU. In three games, the true freshman has recorded 14 tackles and two tackles for a loss. His first career sack came against Mississippi State on Saturday and also added 0.5 more.

Kelly will be able to deploy Perkins all over the field, giving opposing offensive coordinator headaches throughout matchups. His athleticism is already elite with the ability to play multiple positions. Whether he’s playing linebacker or rushing the quarterback, there’s a bright future for Perkins.