Is LSU Star Harold Perkins Eyeing a New NIL Opportunity?
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LSU linebacker Harold Perkins has his sights set on his third season in Baton Rouge with the defensive cornerstone poised for another big-time season with the Tigers.
Ahead of what is likely his final season with Brian Kelly and the Bayou Bengals, he's added a few pounds to his frame to prepare for a brutal stretch of SEC games in 2024.
Perkins has been in the weight room and credited the LSU strength and conditioning staff on campus, but he's also raved about the food in Louisiana.
The Bayou State is known for its good eats and it's helped Perkins put on the additional size needed to bulk up to take on SEC opponents, but there is one restaurant he's talked about most: Dorothy's Soul Food.
On Monday, Perkins caught up with LSU reporters where he gave his special order and what's helped him bulk up to 225 pounds this offseason.
#LSU LB Harold Perkins is up to 225 pounds ahead of the 2024 season.
— Zack Nagy (@znagy20) August 12, 2024
The secret to gaining weight?
Dorothy’s Soul Food.
Perkins raved about his order and the secret sauce to becoming one of the top linebackers in America.
“We eat good down here.” pic.twitter.com/ucBLSoPF3z
Now, it's full steam ahead for Perkins as he gears up for Year 3 in Baton Rouge.
Perkins has established himself as a game-wrecker on the defensive side of the ball. In two years, he’s tallied 26 tackles for loss and 13 sacks. He’s also forced seven fumbles and intercepted a pair of passes. He has 147 career tackles.
Perkins showed his versatility last year in the ReliaQuest Bowl against Wisconsin when he scored his first career touchdown on a 1-yard run in the 35-31 LSU victory. It was Perkins’ first offensive snap as a Tiger.
Perkins, who also excels in the classroom, earned first-team All-SEC honors as a true freshman in 2022 followed by second-team recognition last year. He earned SEC Academic Honor Roll status in 2023 as well as First-Year SEC Academic Honor Roll in 2022.
As a rookie, Perkins was named SEC Defensive Player of the Week twice, SEC Freshman of the Week once and was named the Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week for his performance in the road win over Arkansas.
Perkins will role at the inside linebacker position this season where he is more than ready to showcase his skill set during the 2024 season after a solid transition.
"The transition has been wonderful," Perkins said during SEC Media Days. "Like I said previously, I trust the coaches to put me in the right position to be successful. The rest is on me. I trust in my abilities and my quality that God has blessed me with to go out and make a play. So I'm excited to where this year is going to go."
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