Harold Perkins Jr. is one of the most gifted players in the entire country. Ever since he stepped foot onto the field as a true freshman, he's been an absolute game wrecker. Opposing offensive coordinators lost sleep every time they had to go up against him because they knew he could singlehandedly win LSU football games.

The only problem with that is that the Tigers have misused him the past two seasons. First, Matt House tried to move him inside, but abandoned that plan pretty quickly and then never found the right role for him. Despite that, Perkins still totaled 74 tackles, 5.5 sacks, four passes defended and three forced fumbles. That's just how good he is.

Heading into his junior campaign under new Linebacker Coach and Defensive Coordinator, Blake Baker, Perkins was ready to have a monster season, but in the Tigers win over UCLA, he suffered a torn ACL and missed the remainder of his junior year. With questions about his injury and what position he'd play at the next level, Perkins decided to return to LSU in 2025 and try to get himself back in the first-round pick conversation.

The question now is, what position does he play next season? Do they put him back at linebacker with the Weeks brothers? Do they move him to the STAR position we saw Major Burns in this past year?

The answer to that question is, we don't really know. At least not yet.

It could very easily be either one of those options. They could throw him out there with Whit and West Weeks in an off-ball role or they could move him to STAR and let him just roam the field and make plays. The latter seems like the best option to maximize his production, but we've heard Brian Kelly in the past talk about them wanting to set him up for success in the NFL, which is why they moved him inside as a sophomore.

If the Tigers were to move him to the STAR position, they could run a lineup that includes Whit and West Weeks/Davhon Keys at linebacker, Perkins at STAR, Ashton Stamps and PJ Woodland/DJ Pickett at cornerback, Mansoor Delane and Dashawn Spears (or any other transfer they bring in) at safety and any four defensive linemen they choose. That seems like a pretty nice unit to me.

So what does this news mean for LSU's defense?

It means they get one of the most gifted players in the country on either side of the ball back. He can do some things that nobody else can, and because of that, he gives you a ton of flexibility with your lineup. He can line up off the edge, at linebacker, in the slot and at safety, so game planning for him is a nightmare.

This is massive news for Blake Baker and LSU, but the pressure is now on to find the right fit for him in this defense.

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