Falcons Rookie LB Harold Perkins Gets High Praise From Legend Jessie Tuggle

Jessie Tuggle anchored some impressive defenses, specifically when the Atlanta Falcons ranked second in run defense during their 1998 Super Bowl run.

Now, the former All-Pro linebacker and five-time Pro Bowler wants to see which young Falcon will join that lineage and one day shoot to defensive stardom.

“I’m looking forward to seeing what the next young inside linebacker’s going to be,” Tuggle said on the Falcons’ Friday Five Podcast. “Who’s going to step up and take control and be the quarterback of the defense?”

A name immediately came to the Falcons’ Ring of Honor member who accumulated nearly 2,000 tackles and led the league four times in his 14-year career, all in Atlanta.

Harold Perkins Jr., the potential steal of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Atlanta used its sixth-round pick, 215th overall, to select the linebacker out of LSU.

Perkins was viewed as a positionless defender for his speed and versatility at inside and outside linebacker, an edge rusher, and even a little bit of safety. But after being considered a surefire first-round pick, a torn right ACL in 2024 tanked his draft stock.

Still, Perkins returned in 2025 and made All-SEC for the third time in his college career, and ended any doubts about his recovery from injury with a 4.38 forty at his pro day at LSU.

Since being picked by the Falcons, the 21-year-old Perkins has worked with the inside linebackers, building depth to help Atlanta replace Kaden Elliss, who left this offseason to rejoin NFC South rival, the New Orleans Saints.

“I’m hoping, without even seeing much about him in college…I like Perkins a lot. I think that’s a great pick, super athletic,” Tuggle said. “Mentally, I talked with him. He wants it. We talked about the love for the game - he has the love for the game. But not only does he have the love for it, [but he also] has the talent for it. And he has the speed. So, I’m hoping that can translate into a middle linebacker that can really run to the ball.”

Last season, Atlanta finished 15th out of 32 NFL teams in total defense under defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich. That was an improvement to its 22nd ranking in 2024.

Additionally, the Falcons broke their franchise sack record with 57, second in the NFL, and were 13th in pass defense. Atlanta’s run defense struggled, being 24th in the NFL.

Atlanta enters the second year of Ulbrich running the defense with defensive ends James Pearce Jr. and Jalon Walker, a secondary led by AJ Terrell and Jessie Bates, and a budding star in Perkins. Linebacker Divine Deablo will have the green dot for the Falcons, meaning he will receive and relay defensive play calls from the coaching staff during the 2026 season.

“Defensively, young. But didn’t have that star power,” Tuggle talked about the Falcons’ defensive personnel retooling. “Obviously, we got AJ, you got Jessie Bates. Then we brought in the young, talented outside pass rushers. And they’re going to be here for the next hopefully five or 10 years.

“Defensively, I like what the organization is doing,” he added.

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