The New England Patriots used almost all of their 2024 Draft selections on offense, as they should have. But what could that mean for the 2025 NFL Draft? Obviously, it is pretty early to predict what could happen in the next Draft before any of the college players even play a snap, but there is one prospect to keep an eye on for New England. LSU linebacker, Harold Perkins Jr. He is an absolute weapon on the defensive side of the ball and has a lot to offer at the NFL level. So how could he fit into the Patriots defense? Will the Patriots be willing to use a top draft pick on a defensive player?
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Perkins is a true representation of what type of player is needed to be a linebacker in the SEC. A strong, confident, elite athlete, that has the speed and drive to keep up with some of the most talented players in the world. An SEC linebacker needs to be willing to fly all over the field and make the big hits that make highlight films. Perkins does exactly that every time he takes the field. Just turn on his film, and within the first two plays, it is obvious how talented he is. The SEC is the most competitive conference in college football and it translates very well to the NFL. This is great news for whichever team is lucky enough to land Perkins in the 2025 Draft.
How could Perkins fit into the Patriots defense? His ability to fly all over the field, gives him quite a bit of flexibility at the next level. He can line up as an off-ball linebacker like Fred Warner, or even line up as an edge defender on some plays, like Micah Parsons. Both Warner and Parsons are actually good comparisons for Perkins. Each have somewhat different abilities, but they are both elite athletes, that can take over a game at any point in time. The Patriots already have an incredibly loaded defense, and by adding Perkins into the mix, they could turn into the best defense in the league. By already having great players on defense, the Patriots would allow Perkins to become their heat seeking missile, that they can put anywhere on the field to make plays.
If the offense is improved from 2023, will the Patriots be willing to take Perkins in the first round?
The Patriots fully committed to revamping the offense in the 2024 NFL Draft. They used seven of their eight draft picks on offensive players. So, if most of these players look good in 2024, and the offense looks to be back on track, could New England look to the defensive side of the ball in the first round in 2025? The talent that Perkins possesses, could be too much to pass up. If New England is on the clock and Perkins is sitting there, they may decide to bring him to Foxborough. Perkins is a top prospect to watch in 2024, and he will be the leader of the LSU defense. New England fans should definitely tune into a few games in Baton rouge this season to watch a potential future Patriot.
