LSU HC Brian Kelly offers insight on Harold Perkins Jr.’s future with the Tigers following season-ending injury

LSU linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. will miss the rest of the 2024 college football season with a knee injury. Although it hasn't been confirmed, reporter Matt Zenitz believes it's a torn ACL. Perkins suffered the injury in week 4 in the Tiger's 34-17 win over UCLA.

Although he's only a junior and eligible to return to the NCAA next season, it's not certain that he would want to. Perkins is a highly rated prospect, and many mock drafts project him to get picked in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft if he declares for it.

However, coach Brian Kelly said that it's too soon to know if Harold Perkins Jr. has played his last game for LSU:

"I don't think any of those decisions are made. Way too soon for him or his family to have made any kind of declaration whether this is his last game or not. I think they're just trying to get a hold of the surgery and the rehab associated with it."

If Perkins decides to return to LSU next season, it would help the Tigers' offensive line. Going into this season, he was a preseason first-team All-SEC selection. Without him, the Tigers' offensive line will be significantly handicapped.

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When will linebacker Harold Perkins Jr. decide if he will return to LSU next season?

The deadline to declare for the 2025 NFL draft hasn't been announced yet. So, it's not possible to set a definitive date for when Harold Perkins Jr. must make his decision with LSU. Brian Kelly said:

"He'll take all that into consideration and then when it's time to make a decision, he'll make a decision. Certainly, he has plenty of time before he has to make that decision."

Kelly also answered questions about Perkins's surgery and recovery time frame:

"We're not certian to the specifics relative to time and place for surgery, but looks to be an ACL injury.

"Again, more details relative to that I can't get into. But certainly an injury that we feel terrible about, especially for Harold and the work that he's done to put himself in a great position."

However, typically the deadline is in mid-January, which means there's plenty of time for Perkins to make the decision.