David Perkins commits to Ohio State
The Oregon Ducks were among the many teams interested in recruiting South Bend running back/linebacker David Perkins, but the Ohio State Buckeyes have emerged as the victors in the race for the versatile- he is a four-star athlete who is a more than capable running back and linebacker- Washington High star. The Ducks were close to signing Perkins, but he was soon enamored with the Buckeyes. Perkins held off on committing to OSU initially, but he is now a Buckeye after an on-and-off relationship with the Ducks.
The question for Perkins becomes, will he play at running back or linebacker? He is one of the most versatile players in this recruiting class, because he has played at every offensive position in high school. At this point, it seems best if Perkins plays as an outside linebacker due to his ability to pressure the quarterback. Last season as a junior, the second highest recruit in Indiana recorded 16 tackles for loss and 13 sacks. He has a great motor and ran a 4.43 yard dash, and his combination of size (6’1”, 210) and speed makes him a must-play even as a freshman.
David Perkins is rated a four-star recruit by both Rivals and ESPN (Scout Grade of 79 on ESPN) and is an All-Conference type talent who will make an impact at the college level and has the athleticism to make it to the NFL (although it is far too early to tell at this point). The Ducks missed out on a top recruit, and the Buckeyes boosted their recruiting class with the addition of “Boom”. Rivals gives one player who is somewhat similar to the recruit in question, and their generous player comparison is Denver Broncos star linebacker D.J. Williams. This seems like a huge stretch, but it does illustrate that Perkins has the potential to become a fringe All-American player.
As a linebacker, Perkins is aggressive and physical at the point of attack. He isn’t as effective in coverage and away from the line, and he’s mainly an upfield player. Perkins is a dangerous pass rusher, and he has the lateral ability and strength in traffic to be an effective run stuffer. However, he will get exploited if called upon to defend in space and is better off as a Will if in a 4-3 set up. Although he needs quite a bit of polishing and is below average in the open field, his ability to get penetration and pure athleticism makes Perkins a valuable commodity.
At this point, Perkins’ commitment to Ohio State is seen as a strong verbal one, and, if his withdrawal from Notre Dame is any indication, there is still the chance that Perkins decides to change his mind. That isn’t likely at this point, but Perkins’ commitment to the Buckeyes isn’t the worst thing in the world for the Ducks. He may be a top recruiting prospect, but his strengths and- mostly- weaknesses won’t translate as well to Oregon’s defense. It’s always disappointing to come close to signing a recruit and fall short in the end. However, it is always interesting to profile them after they sign and evaluate a future opponent. Hopefully, the Ducks can add more high-end recruits like- to a lesser extent- Pharaoh Brown or David Perkins in the future.
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