DALLAS – LSU do-it-all linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. smiles as he hears the question, grill gleaming as he's, well, grilled about what position(s) he'll play in 2024 and beyond.
"I feel like (I can play) anywhere," Perkins said. "I don't put myself in categories, like this is who I am. I can play anything, from running back to quarterback to receiver, linebacker, D-line or whatever."
He probably could do all of that, which makes him such a tantalizing prospect. It also means almost everyone has an opinion on where he should play.
A five-star recruit and the top-rated linebacker in the Class of 2022, Perkins exploded onto the scene as a true freshman edge menace, posting 72 tackles, 13 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks. His numbers as a sophomore were similar -- 75 tackles, 13 TFLs, 5.5 sacks -- but the process looked different.
LSU opted to move Perkins to inside linebacker ahead of the 2023 season. It did not go well. Perkins struggled to hold up inside against Florida State, which led to a quick pivot the rest of the year that saw Perkins play mostly SAM linebacker, a role in which he played more snaps in coverage (291 snaps) than as a pass rusher (162 snaps).
The change nerfed Perkins' pressure rate (his PFF pass rush grade dropped from 90.9 to 72.8) as LSU's defense cratered, falling from 51st nationally in yards allowed per play to 109th in 2023.
Perkins did show flashes of off-ball brilliance -- he excelled in coverage with an 81.1 PFF grade -- and his athletic ability makes him a sideline-to-sideline tackling machine. But LSU finished 104th nationally in pressure rate, and fans consistently questioned why the Tigers had one of the sport's best pass rush weapons yet failed to use him consistently.
One year later, LSU is again opting to start the season with Perkins as an inside linebacker. LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker has said that's the best long-term position for the 6-foot-1 Texan, who is an explosive pass rusher with tweener size.
But that doesn't stop the debate around where he should play.
LSU coach Brian Kelly defended Perkins' use last season, pointing to Perkins' weight as an issue for his full-time transition inside. Kelly said Perkins played the 2023 season at near 210 pounds; he enters this season at 225. Asked what he'd do different looking back at the way Perkins was deployed last season, Kelly cracked "We would have tied him down and made him eat more."
"Harold might have been that as a freshman, where he was much more impactful as a pass rusher, somebody that was a situational player, and quite frankly maybe got a reputation as that," Kelly said. "But that's not who he is. He's an every-down linebacker that can play inside and out and has the ability to run, can obviously rush the passer, and also tackle from sideline to sideline.
"That's the developmental process that I think coaches have to be able to see. What can he do right now versus what can he do as he develops, and then ultimately, what is his position as he moves to the next level?"
Right now, the NFL has questions about where Perkins might fit, according to 247Sports national analyst Matt Zenitz.
"Perkins is clearly talented and highly athletic, but scouts have questions about his size (with official measurements of 6-foot, 215 pounds) and how he'd be best utilized, including from a position standpoint, at the next level."
That push and pull of today versus tomorrow hangs over the Perkins debate. Could he help LSU off the edge? Absolutely. But does that make the most sense for his long-term future? Could Perkins even hold up down to down as an edge rusher in the SEC? Perkins' size, or lack thereof, is a big reason he's never taken more than 162 pass rush snaps in a single season.
Perkins doesn't seem concerned about any of that, at least on a sleepy July morning at SEC Media Days. Asked what position he'll play as himself in the new EA Sports "College Football 25" video game, Perkins said he'll change it up, lining up anywhere from the D-line to safety.
Thinking about the differences between who he is as a still very young 19-year-old junior versus who he was as a True Freshman All-American two years ago, Perkins said the biggest difference is film study.
"I've matured in a way," Perkins said. "I've been watching a lot of film. I'm not just going out there and playing. My freshman year I just went out and played. I didn't have any worries. This year I'm actually locked in, watching a lot more film, taking my preparation to another level."
And, yes, it helps he's eating more, too. Perkins has always been a leaner athlete, but he's embracing his inner "fat guy," loading up on oxtail and so many other Cajun delicacies.
That extra weight should help Perkins hold up more from down to down. He's already shown the ability to rush the passer and play in coverage. This is the season Kelly hopes the long-term vision of Perkins, an off-ball menace, can come to the forefront.
"You can't play inside linebacker at 210 pounds," Kelly said. "Well, you say you can, but you can't because you just can't hold up inside. He now physically is able to play inside out and still is twitchy off the edge, can still cover if he needs to cover. He's made himself into the player he needed to be and it's gonna be fun to watch him."