The Atlanta Falcons announced on May 7 that linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. has signed his rookie contract with the team.
Perkins was selected by the Falcons as the No. 215 overall pick in the sixth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. He joins a group of linebackers that includes Divine Deablo, Troy Andersen, JD Bertrand, and fellow rookie Kendal Daniels. The signing adds depth and versatility to the team’s defensive lineup.
Perkins’ contract is estimated at $4.59 million in total value, with a cap number starting at $937,543 for 2026 and reaching $1.33 million by 2029, according to OverTheCap.com. During his college career at Louisiana State University (LSU), Perkins started in 11 out of 12 games in his final season, recording 56 total tackles (8 for loss), four sacks, one forced fumble, and three interceptions.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski 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 added: “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 are based in Atlanta as part of the National Football League’s NFC South division; they began as an expansion team in 1965 and have advanced twice to Super Bowl appearances—in both 1998 and 2016—according to their official website.
Looking ahead with new talent such as Perkins joining established players on defense may help shape future seasons for Atlanta.