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Former LSU linebacker Harold Perkins Jr.

The Atlanta Falcons put together an exciting 2026 NFL Draft class that is catching the eyes of analysts as the team looks to bounce back from a forgettable 2025 season.

ESPN’s Matt Miller was among those to praise some of the selections the Falcons made that could help them surpass their most recent 8-9 record.

Miller had multiple Falcons picks listed in his Top 100 overall. That included former Clemson cornerback Avieon Terrell, who Atlanta selected at 48th overall in the second round. It was the Falcons’ first pick, since they did not have a first-round pick for 2026.

The analyst pinned him at No. 16 in his top-100.

“I love this pick for football and human reasons” Miller wrote. “Terrell was seen as a potential Round 1 player through much of his career, but he had a late slip due to a hamstring injury in the pre-draft process. That injury prevented him from working out for teams and answering questions about his speed, which is why he lasted 15 picks longer than where I ranked him on my board.”

Harold Perkins Jr. Was Picked in the 6th Round by the Atlanta Falcons

Miller also had linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. at No. 87 in his rankings. The Falcons took the LSU alum off the board in the sixth round with the 215th overall pick.

“Perkins is a talented player who flashed at times at LSU, especially early in his career, but never seemed to get fully comfortable,” Miller wrote. “He was moved around constantly, serving as a pass rusher, linebacker and even slot defender. Now he’ll have the opportunity to learn one position under defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, and the hope is that Atlanta unleashes his speed at off-ball linebacker. Perkins’ ceiling could be as an Azeez Al-Shaair-level player.”

Perkins went lower than many expected him to go, initially projected to be taken in the early rounds. There was also a time in his career when Perkins was considered almost a lock to be a first-rounder, but a 2024 ACL injury took him out of that conversation.

The injury knocked him out of action early on in the season in September, but he was said to be back to full capacity as if it had never happened in 2025. Clearly, it remained a concern to NFL teams, though.

Perkins Wore Multiple Hats in the LSU Defense

Perkins stands to fill a notable need in Atlanta after the Falcons lost linebacker Kaden Elliss to the New Orleans Saints in free agency. The versatility Perkins presents after being asked to wear multiple hats within the LSU defense makes him a viable candidate.

However, he will likely start his career on special teams before being given a larger role in the defensive lineup as a later pick.

In addition to Terrell and Perkins, the Falcons draft class included Georgia wide receiver Zachariah Branch (No. 79), Oklahoma linebacker Kendal Daniels (No. 134), Washington defensive tackle Anterio Thompson (No. 208), and Ohio State offensive tackle Ethan Onianwa (No. 231).

It will be interesting to see how things play out with each of these players, especially with potentially major steals like Perkins in the list.