When LSU linebacker Harold Perkins limped off the field in the Tigers week four win over UCLA in September, there was a fear Perkins played his last down at LSU.
Perkins injured his knee while attempting to make a tackle and the second-team preseason All-American ended up tearing his ACL.
Before the 2024 season, it was expected Perkins would bolt for the NFL following his junior campaign. Many were expecting a big season from Perkins, who was trying again to play inside linebacker.
But he went down with a season-ending injury and was not having a great season at the time, which likely factored into his decision for Perkins to come back.
Perkins has the speed and the athleticism to create big plays. He has 28 tackles for a loss, 13 sacks and two interceptions in his three seasons at LSU.
But now the trick for Coach Brian Kelly and defensive coordinator Blake Baker is to figure out how he can make more big plays.
The Tigers need to find edge rushers in 2025. They got a couple in the transfer portal, but maybe this is an opportunity to put Perkins at a spot on the field, where he can rush the passer and try to get in the backfield. He can also drop back into the coverage from time to time as well.
But we’ve seen, playing inside linebacker is not a position that works well for him or the LSU defense.
Now that we know Perkins is coming back in 2025, will he be ready to go for the season opener at Clemson?
Perkins got hurt on September 21, so it will be close, but as we saw with cornerback Zy Alexander, it takes about a year for a player to feel fully comfortable when returning from a torn ACL.
