Joshua Perry – Ohio State Buckeyes

Position: Inside Linebacker

Height: 6’4’’

Weight: 253

Year: Senior

Hometown: Galena, OH

Experience: Sr. – 3 year starter

Measurables:

40 yard: 4.68

Broad jump: 124 inches

Vertical: 33.5 inches

3-cone: ---

20yd. Shuttle: ---

Bench Press: 20 reps

Career Notes:

After leading the Buckeyes in total tackles with 124 as a junior in 2014, Perry emerged as a key leader on a very talented Ohio State defense. Perry then returned in 2015 and finished second on the team in tackles with 106 as a senior, notching another year of fantastic defensive play as he split time between middle and strongside linebacker.

Often the unsung hero of a Buckeyes front seven stocked full of NFL talent, Perry may be one of the more overlooked linebacker prospects in the 2016 draft class. However, his ability to make plays against the run and natural leadership skills won’t get overlooked by NFL teams looking for that next key piece to upgrade the second level of their defense.

Starting 37 of his possible 52 games at OSU, the Ohio native and former high school track star was a true cornerstone piece for a Buckeyes defense that finished third in the Big Ten in 2015 in total yards allowed per game. Perry was also a candidate for the Lott IMPACT award his senior year, which is given to a collegiate athlete who demonstrates exceptional integrity, maturity, academics, and community involvement.

The former Buckeyes team captain is well respected and liked by teammates and coaches. His physical playing style and natural leadership skills make his best position fit inside linebacker in the NFL.

Injury Report:

Perry sat out the Reese’s Senior Bowl after he suffered a groin injury during practice early in the week. Perry also suffered an ankle sprain against Penn State in 2015, which forced him to leave the game early, but he was back in the lineup the following week.

Career Stats:

Analysis:

Against the Run: (5.0/5.0)

Perry is an excellent run defender. He’s physical between the tackles and has the size and strength to take blockers head on and shed at the right moment to get his hands on the ball carrier. He possesses the ideal height/weight combo to hold the point of attack against guards at the next level. He’ll give very little ground to offensive lineman in the run game, which is a rare attribute among inside linebackers coming out of college.

Perry also demonstrates good patience against the run, as he waits for the play to progress, reads the hole, and then meets the ball carrier at the line of scrimmage to make the stop. He rarely over-pursues his run fit or finds himself out of place. He’s a smart player with a good understanding of scheme and play progressions. He consistently portrays good anticipation off the snap and does a nice job shadowing the back to the line of scrimmage, leaving very little guess work as to which gap the ball carrier is going to run through.

Perry is a natural athlete who flows to the ball and possesses the quickness and speed to make plays in pursuit. He’s so much more than just a “between the tackles” thumper. He can run sideline-to-sideline and chase ball carriers down outside of the tackle box. He also looks very natural moving out in space and has the savvy and technique to square his body against the ball carrier out in space to make the stop. He’s not afraid to lay the wood, but he doesn’t deliver a punishing hit at the expense of compromising proper wrap-up technique. Overall, he does a nice job swarming to the ball and playing hard every time he takes the field, allowing him to remain active against the run game.

Pass Rush: (4.0/5.0)

Perry is an adequate pass rusher, especially for an off-the-ball linebacker. In the Buckeyes defense, Perry seldom blitzed, but when he did, he showed some ability to work through blocks and generate pressure on the opposing quarterback. He still managed 6.5 sacks and 6 quarterback hurries in his final two years at OSU, which are respectable numbers given his limited opportunities. Perry does possess the size and explosive ability to play some outside linebacker in the NFL. His versatility at the position is definitely something that works in his favor at the next level.

Coverage: (4.0/5.0)

Perry doesn’t get enough credit for his ability to drop in coverage and defend the middle of the field. He looks smooth backpedalling in space and changing direction to close in on the ball. He does a nice job sinking his hips when dropping and keeping his head on a swivel as he watches the quarterback’s eyes. In man coverage he can also flip his hips and turn and run with a tight end down the seam or a halfback on a wheel route. He possesses enough speed to be effective in coverage and relies on his awareness and high football IQ to read and react to route progressions. As a sophomore and junior, he was the Buckeyes primary dime linebacker.

Agility: (4.0/5.0)

Perry moves well in space and looks like a fluid athlete on tape. He may not possess elite speed for the position, but his short-area speed and quick first step allow him to position himself in the right place to be around the ball. Perry’s lateral movement is tremendous, especially for a linebacker towering at 6-foot-4 and over 254 pounds, and his change of direction ability is smooth, giving him good explosive ability in the open field. Overall, Perry is a highly underrated athlete at the linebacker position.

Impact Play Ability: (3.5/5.0)

Perry checks almost all of the boxes as far as desirable traits as an NFL linebacker. However, the biggest downside to his game is he can disappear at times on the field. He’s definitely a solid and reliable player, but he was involved in only two turnover plays in college. His biggest impact comes as an imposing and instinctual run defender, and although dependable in coverage, he doesn’t possess the elite ball skills to be a true impact player in this aspect of the game. He’s also not the lights-out big hitter many would expect from a linebacker of his size.

Summary:

Overall, Perry should contend immediately for a starting role in the NFL. He’s a reliable player on the second level and his excellent instincts, football IQ, and maturity make him an asset to any defense looking for a true leader in the middle of their front seven. Although Perry may not be a Pro-Bowl caliber player at the next level, which could cause him to slip to the late second or third round, he’s still a versatile linebacker who can play inside or outside in a 3-4 front and still stay on the field on third downs as a nickel or dime linebacker.

Overall: (4.10/5.0)

If drafted by the Packers:

Not necessarily a sure-fire first-round talent, Perry may not be the elite linebacker prospect that would immediately be a playmaker in the middle of the Packers defense. However, Perry’s consistency in every phase of the game and his ability to be a true three-down linebacker in the NFL would give Green Bay a reliable starter and leader at inside linebacker.

As a force against the run, Perry can chase or be the thumper in the middle the team hasn’t had since Desmond Bishop was in the lineup. While Sam Barrington and Jake Ryan play the game admirably, but they do not work through blocks and hold the point of attack as well as Perry does. The fact he can stack and shed so well would bring a new element to the Packers inside linebacker position, not to mention some much-needed size to clog running lanes between the tackles.

Perry’s greatest asset, however, to the Packers defense may not even come against the run, but against the pass. The Packers linebackers were frequently exposed in coverage last season. Both Ryan and Nate Palmer really looked out of place dropping in coverage or trailing running backs down the sideline on wheel routes. This is also a drawback of Barrington’s game.

Perry can drop in coverage, make plays on the ball, and trail tight ends down the seam or pick up the back in the flat, and this would give the Packers a linebacker to keep on the field on third down. If Perry’s still available when Green Bay is on the clock in the second round, he’d be a very good value pick. In the very least, he’d give the Packers an immediate reliable starter at inside linebacker as a rookie.

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