With the No. 48 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, the San Diego Chargers have selected Miami Hurricanes linebacker Denzel Perryman. Perryman was a four-year starter at Coral Gables and one of the most coveted inside linebacker prospects in the draft.
NFL Draft results 2015: Denzel Perryman goes to Chargers in 2nd round
Denzel Perryman goes to the San Diego Chargers in the second round of the NFL Draft.
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Perryman, a 2014 Butkus Award finalist, earned third-team AP All-American honors and was voted first-team All-ACC in his senior season. He led the team with 110 tackles, adding two sacks, nine tackles for loss, three forced fumbles and an interception.
There is no doubt that Perryman is a physical and instinctive player, but his disappointing combine performance in February highlighted his below-average athleticism and overall speed. He ran an underwhelming 4.78 40-yard dash and posted a 32-inch vertical that ranked in the bottom half of all linebackers in Indianapolis. Perryman did help himself at his pro day by running a 4.67 40, but injured himself midway through the workout and didn’t complete the drills.
Perryman, 5’11 and 236 pounds, has the stout frame and toughness of a prototypical inside linebacker, but there are concerns about his lack of burst and man coverage skills. He profiles as a solid-to-above-average player at the next level, where his strong work ethic, physicality and leadership should help him develop into a productive linebacker for any team.
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