Georgia and LSU meet for the fifth time in 20 years in the SEC championship this Saturday in Atlanta. During those 20 years there have been a number of players like Joe Burrow, Tyrann Mathieu, DJ Shockley and others who made history with legendary performances in a game that means so much. No team lacks talent on both sides of the ball. Harold Perkins is one player who could have a big impact on the Tigers on Saturday.
The freshman linebacker from Cypress, Texas has had a super impressive season for the Tigers. While Perkins’ stats might not jump off the page as much as other linebackers in the conference. Hard to miss when watching games, the 6″2, 210-pound linebacker’s athleticism is a headache for offensive coordinators. He has demonstrated his “game-breaking” ability multiple times this season, flying around at a scary closing rate.
Perkins became a household name in the SEC after putting on a dominant performance against the Arkansas Razorbacks with 6 solo tackles and 2 forced fumbles while battling flu-like symptoms. A game that earned him SEC Defensive Player of the Week. Though Perkins is relatively new in the eyes of those who don’t necessarily follow recruiting, Georgia head coach Kirby Smart has been aware of the 5-star recruit’s abilities for quite some time.
“We were aware of him, evaluated him. He was probably one of the most talented linebackers to come on tape this season. He proved that. He is extremely explosive, athletic.
– Kirby Smart
Perkins has been most effective this season in his role as a “spy” against scrambling/running quarterbacks. The linebacker’s 4.44 40 time gives him the wide-out-like closing speed that makes it nearly impossible for quarterbacks to outrun his onslaught and climb. Georgia quarterback Stetson Bennett must have a short internal clock in Saturday’s passing game to avoid getting fired.
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While Georgia is still heavily favored to win Saturday’s matchup due to their overwhelming talent on both sides of the ball. LSU will certainly give the Bulldogs everything they have and if Harold Perkins can pull off another elite performance on Saturday. Things could get extremely interesting for this Georgia team known for turning the ball around at an alarming rate.
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