Chiefs Land Dynamic Defensive Weapon in Early 2025 Mock Draft

The 2024 season has yet to even begin, but many outlets are already taking a look ahead to the possibilities of the 2025 NFL Draft.

For the Kansas City Chiefs, their hope is they once again have to deal with picking at or near the end of the first round. Such a slot reflects the ultimate success during the year — a deep playoff run and the pursuit of a Super Bowl title. General manager Brett Veach is no stranger to having late selections to work with, so it wouldn't be too big of a challenge if he had to do so in the spring.

It especially wouldn't be too harsh if Kansas City landed the prospect who was recently projected to them. In a 2025 mock draft for Pro Football Network, Ian Cummings sends LSU do-it-all linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. to the Chiefs at pick No. 32. He later caps off his mock with East Carolina cornerback Shavon Revel at pick No. 64.

"When he drops to a certain point, you just take Harold Perkins Jr. and see what you can do with him," Cummings wrote. "His weight will be the biggest hang-up for NFL teams, but with his speed and bend, he’s a devastating pass-rush weapon that can be unleashed from any alignment."

What would the Chiefs be getting with Harold Perkins Jr.?

To say Perkins is an intriguing player would be an understatement. He has back-to-back seasons of excellent production, amassing at least 70 tackles (13 for loss), five sacks and three forced fumbles in his freshman and sophomore campaigns. He's also made the SEC Academic Honor Roll twice and received All-SEC football honors.

Perkins has a skill set that fits the modern NFL, albeit with a twist. He's capable of functioning as a traditional linebacker, backed up by his 81.2 Pro Football Focus coverage grade during the 2023-24 regular season. He can rush the passer, too, which was evidenced by his 18 quarterback knockdowns as a true freshman back in 2022. Alignment versatility is one of the biggest draws with Perkins, as he alternated between the defensive line, box and slot this past year.

The issue with Perkins, as Cummings alluded to, is his lack of size. Listed at 6-foot-1, 220 pounds on his official LSU player page, that simply won't cut it for some NFL teams if he enters the draft as more of a true pass-rushing specialist. Even for an off-ball linebacker, that's still a light frame. It remains to be seen how much weight he can add without sacrificing range and overall athleticism. The Chiefs and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo typically prefer more well-built players who can set an edge and hold their own in run defense.

Nevertheless, it's hard to deny the talent of Perkins. His junior season will go a long way in determining his ultimate draft slot. Currently expected to be a first-round pick, will he even be available for the Chiefs? Only time will tell.

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