The 2021 NFL Draft will be a great event for teams to start building for their future. Here is the Ronnie Perkins 2021 NFL Draft Profile.
Ronnie Perkins Background
Position: Edge Rusher
Size: 6-foot-3, 247 pounds
Class: Junior
2020 stats: 23 total tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks
Perkins was a part of some very good teams at Oklahoma and was a solid player for three seasons. Now, he has declared for the 2021 NFL Draft.
A four-star recruit out of St. Louis, Perkins decided to join the Sooners over several other schools. He was a Freshman All-American with 37 total tackles, 8.0 tackles for loss and 5.0 sacks. The Sooners went 12-2 that season, losing to Alabama in the CFP. As a sophomore, Perkins took a step forward with 38 total tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and 6.0 sacks. The Sooners once again made the CFP, but they lost to LSU in the semifinal. For the 2020 season, Perkins played in six games, but totaled 23 total tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. After missing the first few weeks of the season, Perkins helped the team to a 9-2 overall record and he was named Second Team All-Big 12.
Perkins had a solid college career and is now getting ready to be a professional. He is currently projected to be a first or second round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Strengths
Perkins has great quickness and agility for an edge rusher. He is quick at the snap of the ball, which puts pressure on the offensive line. His agility is also a major factor, as he can get offensive linemen off balance if he changes direction quickly. Both these traits help him get after the quarterback well and play well in space against the run.
His flexibility is also very good and is among the best in the class. Perkins is able to bend around the edge to get to the quarterback because of his flexibility. Offensive linemen who are too ridgid will have a tough time adjusting to his ability to dip around the corner. His flexibility, along with his quickness and speed, will allow him to create pressure on opposing quarterbacks consistently.
While he isn’t the biggest defensive end in the class, Perkins is able to convert speed to power very well. Becaue he gets such a good start to the play with his quickness, it gives him an edge. He simply uses that momentum and turns it into power. Perkins doesn’t have great play strength, but this helps make up for it.
Weaknesses
There are times where Perkins fails to shed blocks. Offensive linemen who can get their hands on him can take him out of a play. This mostly makes it difficult for him to make an impact against the run, but it also can make things tougher when he is rushing the quarterback. He’ll need to shed more consistently at the pro level.
Perkins needs to use his hands better as well. He needs to improve his hand placement, which will help him shed better. He also doesn’t have the most powerful hands and could be a much better player if he focuses on his hand fighting.
So far as a player, Perkins wins by getting the edge or by getting the better of an offensive lineman with his first move. He needs to have a better pass rush plan going into plays. When offensive linemen stop what he wants to do, he needs to work on counter moves so that he can still make an impact on the play.
Projected Draft Range: First Round Pick-Second Round Pick
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