Brian Kelly Breaks Down How LSU Football Will Utilize Harold Perkins in 2025

Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers are less than 48 hours away from Spring Camp kicking off in Baton Rouge with expectations rising for the program.

Kelly and Co. will have multiple fresh faces to work with after reeling in the No. 1 Transfer Portal Class in America, but the returning pieces will give the Tigers an edge as well.

LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier headlines the returnees in Death Valley after electing to bypass the 2025 NFL Draft for an extra year with the Bayou Bengals.

LSU's QB1 will look to develop this offseason after piecing together a 2024 campaign where he totaled 4,052 passing yards, 29 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 13 games played.

"When he's on, Garrett Nussmeier has No. 1 overall pick potential. When he's off, the quarterback who once backed up Jayden Daniels can get in his head a bit leading to mistakes," 247Sports said. "Consistency trumps all with Nussmeier, who was elite in the fourth quarter in wins over Ole Miss and South Carolina, but struggled during losses to Alabama and Texas A&M.

"Brian Kelly and LSU quarterbacks coach Joe Sloan hopes he's Heisman-level in 2025 and the Tigers have done all they can to ensure his weaponry is top-end around him. Three portal wideouts should help.

But Nussmeier isn't the only key piece that elected to make a return to Baton Rouge for the 2025 season.

Though he will not be suiting up for Spring Camp, LSU will also get defensive stud Harold Perkins back in the purple and gold after revealing he'll be back for the program.

Perkins will likely be cleared in June as he continues rehabilitation following a torn ACL in 2024.

The athletic defensive piece took Baton Rouge by storm during his true freshman campaign with the Tigers in 2022.

A player shot out of a cannon on every snap, Perkins quickly emerged as a player NFL scouts would be keeping tabs on during his college career.

After a stellar campaign in Year 1 with the program, there was slight regression in 2023 after the LSU coaching staff struggled to find his ideal role.

Then, fast forward to Perkins' junior campaign in 2024 and it had an abrupt ending with the star linebacker suffering a torn ACL early in the season.

A player who was receiving first round buzz in the 2025 NFL Draft, despite Perkins' usage remaining a question mark, it was a brutal blow for the program.

Now, Perkins has made his decision: Return to LSU, continue rehabbing and prepare for a senior season where he can boost his 2026 NFL Draft stock.

He's slipped down 2025 draft board due to injury and usage issues, but it's clear an organization would have been willing to take the "risk" for such a talented athlete.

Instead, he's back in the purple and gold for one more year.

"He's doing really well in his recovery talking to Owen Stanley, our athletic trainer," Kelly said during the offseason. "He's been in the building quite a bit now that he's passed the early stages of the repair. Now, it's about hard work."

But the key question comes in the mix now: What role will Perkins play in 2025?

LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker officially revealed last month that Perkins will play the STAR role for the Tigers, which will give him a hybrid linebacker/safety look.

Now, head coach Brian Kelly has 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."

The ability to have Perkins in space is what will be the difference maker in 2025 for the Tigers.

“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.”

Now, 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.

“He just gives us great versatility,” Kelly said, “and that's what's exciting about having him at that position.”

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