LSU Linebacker Harold Perkins’ Injury Update Shows Impressive Progress This Offseason

LSU linebacker Harold Perkins is coming off a torn ACL he suffered in the 2024 college football season. He is continuing to navigate through a critical offseason in Baton Rouge. Perkins is mainly in line for a massive 2025 season, which could propel him to the next level.

It’s been a unique career for the former five-star recruit. The talented defender is dialed in for what will likely be his final season with the LSU Tigers football program. It is truly all or nothing this year. If he hopes to make it to the NFL, he has to have a big season. So, how is his progress coming along?

Harold Perkins’ Recovery Progress Surges: LSU LB Ready to Make an Impact Again

Perkins is looking to bounce back after his torn ACL in 2024. He looks set to dominate this offseason and come into the 2025 college football season with some hype behind him. Watch for his progress as summer workouts are right around the corner.

#LSU LB Harold Perkins continues navigating his recovery following a torn ACL last season.

Now, he’s quickly getting back up to speed with summer workouts inching closer for the Tigers.

Perkins looks a full 6’1, 220 pounds and moving well this offseason.

He shared a video: pic.twitter.com/iyQJeXIQYB

— Zack Nagy (@znagy20) May 9, 2025

The athletic defensive piece took Baton Rouge by storm during his true freshman campaign, with the Tigers in 2022. A player who shot out of a cannon on every single snap, Perkins quickly emerged as a player NFL scouts would be keeping tabs on during his entire college career.

After a stellar campaign in his first year with the program, there was a bit of a regression in the 2023 season. LSU’s coaching staff struggled to find his ideal role in his sophomore season. Fast-forward to his junior year in 2024, and it ended abruptly when the star linebacker suffered a torn ACL early in the season.

Losing a player receiving first-round buzz for the 2025 NFL Draft was a brutal blow for the program. For Perkins, he wasn’t ready to end his college career like that. He decided to return to LSU, continue rehabbing, and prepare for a senior season where he can boost his 2026 NFL Draft stock.

LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker officially revealed this offseason that Perkins will play the STAR role for the Tigers. This will ultimately give him a hybrid linebacker and safety look. Then, head coach Brian Kelly chimed in on the move during an interview with The Advocate.

“We want to get him running,” Kelly told The Advocate. “We want to get him in his best element, which is being an athlete. We think that position does it for him. There’s great versatility in that position.”

Having Perkins in space could be the difference maker in 2025 for the Tigers on defense. If Perkins can play well, he could play a key role in why the Tigers go far into the playoffs, and on the flip side, he could ultimately be what holds the defense back should he regress further.

“You’ve got to go block him in space,” Kelly said. “Not with a tackle, not with a guard, not with a center. You’ve got to go block him with a wide receiver or a flex tight end. That’s a good matchup for us.”

Perkins will be back with the Tigers in June once he’s fully cleared, with the chance to showcase his true versatility. The program believes the STAR position can be his “bread and butter” in 2025 with lofty expectations. It’s also a role that could see NFL teams dial in on him and see where they’d want to play him, should he make it to the next level.