The Atlanta Falcons may see a huge payoff from this late round draft pick.
The Atlanta Falcons are well underway with training camp after getting started last week, but on Monday, the pads come on and contact starts rather than largely just walk throughs and team drills.
In this time of year, fans get a chance to evaluate the roster, see who is playing where and with what unit, and see how rookies are coming along. One rookie who was once seen as a surefire first round talent wound up dropping like a rock in the draft, but Atlanta could wind up being the benefactor of that.
The Falcons selected former LSU linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. in the sixth round with the 215th overall pick in the draft, and a few years ago, it would have been a shock to see him drop this low. Bursting onto the scene as a freshman for the Tigers, injuries and position fit question marks dropped him as low as he did.
Despite all that, it sounds like Perkins is already starting to make an impact in camp and showing other teams what they missed out on by allowing him to fall that far.
Perkins Showing Out in Falcons Training Camp
A sixth round rookie getting first team reps in training camp is not something you see every day, but since arriving into the building, Perkins has done nothing so far but impress his teammates and coaches by working hard and showing that the level is not too advanced for him.
Perkins obviously has a long way to go in the areas of proving he can do it at the NFL level as well as the ability to stay healthy, but it sounds like he at the very least is going to be a piece of the puzzle this season.
Atlanta is in an odd spot at the linebacker position especially after losing Kaden Elliss in free agency this offseason. Someone like Perkins -- who has shown an ability to do multiple roles like Elliss did a year ago -- could fill in there and give the Falcons some quality snaps on defense.
It's unlikely Perkins will ever reach the status he was once expected to early in his college career, but Atlanta drafted a guy with a high ceiling who has played some very good football at a high level throughout his college career. Time will tell just how much of a steal the Falcons were able to get here.
