Size: Measured in at the combine at a stout 6-2 271 lbs. and has been said to have gained 10 lbs. of muscle in preparation for the scouting combine in hopes of staying at the defensive end position in the NFL. Nick Perry has a thick upper and lower half and is a very well proportioned athlete, as it is very evident that he has put in the time, effort and energy in the weight room to develop his athletic looking frame. With that said his frame appears to be nearly maxed out as there is little room on his body to add much more weight. Perry also possesses only average length with 33 inch arms but regularly gets the most out of his body thanks to his explosive athleticism and superb body control.
Nick Perry is a naturally explosive athlete with an impressive first step and strong upper body. Perry's potential to convert speed to power is a rare quality and something that makes him a unique and enticing prospect from a pass rushing perspective.
Pass Rush/Quickness: Very good first step quickness (1.57 10 yard split). Has active and violent hands capable of slapping away his opponents attempt to corral him. Flexibility is only average and he struggles to get much bend and dip underneath his opponents shoulder pads when running the arc as he shows some stiffness in his torso and ankles. Shows good snap awareness and timing as he routinely coils out of his stance and explodes up-field with nice initial quickness. Understands hand placement and gains inside positioning quickly thanks to impressive array of hand to hand combat techniques making it very hard to sustain blocks for an extended period of time. Nick Perry has great body control and is natural playing with his hand in the dirt while working in confined areas thanks to his impressive short area burst and closing speed. Possesses a scary combination of speed and power and converts the two with relative ease. Needs refinement in this area but the potential he possesses here affords him the opportunity to keep his opponent off balanced and constantly guessing what move Perry will use next. Needs to develop a greater pass rush arsenal but flashes a useful spin move on occasion. Parlaying between his natural explosive speed and power makes him a difficult assignment to contain, game plan and prepare for. Offensive tackles must respect his speed and power and if Perry can do a better job of switching up the two and utilizing more useful pass rush moves like an up and under he could be a force off the edge for quite some time. Constantly collapses the pocket and narrows room/space for quarterback to move and work within. Not an overly sudden player but effective change of direction skills makes it hard to get and keep hands on him for an extended period of time. Does a nice job getting his hands up in passing windows when he can’t get to the quarterback and shows nice ball awareness in passing situations.
Run Defense: Solid upper body strength (35 reps @ 225) with a nice base, core strength and balance to anchor upon contact and hold the point against the run. Needs to do a better job fighting off blocks, especially against double teams as he struggles to disengage and find the football at times. Fires out of stance low and gets good initial push thanks to impressive power and explosion throughout his upper and lower body. First step quickness affords Perry the ability to get into/under his opponents pads quickly, showcasing impressive pop on contact and capable of knocking his opponent on their heels. Powerful and explosive player who does not shy away from contact as he jolts his opposition with a strong punch. Plays with disciplined leverage techniques and takes solid angles to the football and gives nice chase/effort on nearly every play. Mirrors, slides and shuffles his feet well laterally when moving to his left or right to follow the play and keep contain. Needs to learn how to disengage and find the football as he has a tendency to drop his head and miss on opportunities to make a play. Has the tools to get better in this area just needs more time and coaching.
Recognition/Awareness/Instincts: Generally finds and locates the football adequately but can be a split second late at times to diagnose the play/action happening in front of him. Shows better awareness as a pass rusher at this time as he struggles to locate the football when engaged in the phone booth with his opponent against the run. A naturally instinctive playmaker with the wherewithal to find and locate the football routinely and pin point the passers high shoulder when coming off the edge. Disrupts passing lanes and settles into passing zones nicely while dropping into coverage and has an innate awareness to keep the play in front of him while working against the run or pass. Disciplined player who restrains from crashing down and losing outside contain.
Motor/Toughness: Nick Perry is a very durable and dependable guy who missed very little time during his three seasons at USC due to injury. Doesn’t shy away from contact and likes to mix it up in the trenches with the big uglies. Motor is above average to good but he could show a little better hustle and overall conditioning throughout the course of the game. Doesn’t give up on plays and shows adequate pursuit on the backside, although he could give better overall effort in chase at times. Brings it on nearly every play and goes hard from snap to snap. Wouldn’t consider him relentless in this area but he displays a good enough motor to be effective on every play.
Tackling/Coverage: Not overly affective at changing directions fluidly as he is athletic enough to drop into coverage but displays a good degree of tightness in his hips when asked to turn and move in space. Gets a little narrow and upright when moving his feet and would seem to have some man to man limitations as a 3-4 stand-up linebacker as of right now. Would likely face a pretty steep learning curve if drafted to play the 3-4 outside linebacker position but I could see him making the transition with time due to his impressive athleticism, drive and determination. However, I see Perry as being a better overall player as a 4-3 right defensive end due to his overall skill set and believe not only is that where he wants to play but should play given that he is already in his element and comfortable at that position. Where not only will his skills as a pass rusher transfer nicely but also in a more timely and efficient manner for him to make an impact right now. Not overly explosive as a tackler but has the power and strength to lay the wood on occasion. Wraps up nicely and nearly always finishes when he puts himself in good position to make a play and take down the ball carrier.
Intangibles: Has taken very well to coaching and developed/worked on his craft the past three seasons at USC. Fans, coaches and teammates respect his work ethic and desire as he was named USC’s Defensive Lineman of the Year for his play in 2011. Declared for the draft a year early after his Junior season in which he led the Pac-12 with 9.5 sacks on the season and seems to be just scratching the surface of his immense potential. Grew up in inner city Detroit where he led his high school to a state championship in 2007 with an astounding 36 sacks on the season, which was good for a Michigan prep record. Decided to make something out of himself by choosing the game of football over the streets in an area where violence and turmoil was omnipresent. This decision speaks volumes about Nick Perry’s character, persistence and discipline not only as a football player but as a human being, as it would have been easy for him to succumb to the streets and go down the wrong path. Instead Perry chose the game he loves and has been consistently getting better every season thanks to his dedication in the weight and film rooms.
Nick Perry is a superb athlete with a very high ceiling. His combination of explosive power and speed make him a very dangerous weapon coming off the edge and may not be matched by any other single player in this draft. Perry’s explosive first step make him a consistent threat to gain the edge and his ability to utilize his body in space while displaying impressive hand to hand combat techniques is a very crucial skill to possess as a pass rusher. The best fit for Nick Perry in my assessment would be at the right defensive end position in a 4-3 defense and is a perfect fit for a “Wide 9” alignment, like those used by the Philadelphia Eagles and Detroit Lions, due to his impressive first step and up-field pass rush ability. Expect to hear Nick Perry’s named called in the first round as he is certainly one of the premier pass rushers in this draft with the ability and potential to crack the top 20.
-Thanks for reading my scouting report on USC DE/OLB Nick Perry, please feel free to comment below-
-Brandon-
Brandon Holstein's NFL Draft Round-Up 