The Atlanta Falcons announced on May 7 the signing of linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. to his rookie contract.
Perkins was selected with the No. 215 overall pick in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL Draft and will join a linebacker group that includes Divine Deablo, Troy Andersen, JD Bertrand, and fellow rookie Kendal Daniels. The addition is part of ongoing efforts by the team to strengthen its defense as it prepares for the upcoming season.
Perkins’ rookie deal is estimated at $4.59 million in total value, with a projected cap number starting at $937,543 in 2026 and rising to $1.33 million by 2029. He played college football at Louisiana State University (LSU), where he started 11 out of 12 games in his final season, recording 56 tackles—eight for loss—four sacks, one forced fumble, and three interceptions.
Kevin Stefanski, Atlanta Falcons head coach, said: “He’s obviously had the ability to play off and on the ball. Somebody that like, Ian was mentioning, you add good players to this roster. As coaches, that’s our job to find the roles based on what they’ve done on tape and also explore some things that maybe they haven’t done. In particular, in this case, obviously, it’s some versatility along the front, but also excited about the special teams component of that as well.” Matt Holder from Bleacher Report said: “Hybrid linebackers have become more popular in the NFL, and Harold Perkins fits the description to a tee. LSU used him all over its defense, lining him up at off-ball linebacker, on the edge and over the slot, thus helping develop a versatile skill set.”
Perkins has received several honors during his college career including Freshman All-American (2022), Freshman All-SEC (2022), Second Team All-SEC (2023), and Third Team All-SEC (2025).
The Atlanta Falcons compete in the National Football League’s NFC South division and are based in Atlanta as an expansion team founded in 1965; they advanced to two Super Bowls—in 1998 and again in 2016—and their mascot is Freddie the Falcon according to the official website.
As training camp approaches later this year observers will be watching how Perkins adapts to professional football and what role he may carve out among both defensive starters and special teams.