Are Chicago Bears interested in Ronnie Perkins in 2021 NFL draft?
The Chicago Bears sent coaches down to Oklahoma to work out Ronnie Perkins during his Pro Day. Perkins was a three-year starter as a pass rusher on the edge for the Sooners and exploded last year with 5.5 sacks in 6 games.
Below you can see the career stats of Ronnie Perkins
Ronnie Perkins tested as an average athlete for his size at the Oklahoma pro day. Below you can see how tested and where that is in relation to others who have tested.
Ronnie Perkins is a DE prospect in the 2021 draft class. He scored a 4.73 RAS out of a possible 10.00. This ranked 698 out of 1323 DE from 1987 to 2021.
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) March 12, 2021
Spits projected, unofficial testinghttps://t.co/AHEyRtCvNi #RAS pic.twitter.com/FrAGBrK7Mz
Positive Traits that Ronnie Perkins brings to Chicago Bears
He is a menace getting after the quarterback, and when matched up against a lineman he can set moves up early and then work counters off of them. Perkins also does a great job of working inside on stunts and twists.
Questions with Ronnie Perkins transition to the NFL
Athleticism is not everything but goes a long way for pass rushers. With that, Perkins falls a bit short in most categories. His biggest issue as a pass rusher comes with turning the corner. He can usually chase quarterbacks out of the pocket, push pockets, and chase them down, but he often has to work and grind to get to the quarterback.
He does not turn the corner with great bend and often leaves a pocket to step into. In the play above he dominates the tackle, but the quarterback squirts free. Perkins also struggles to disengage as a run defender. He does not have the size or power to hold his ground and can be moved if he does not get off of the snap with a mentality to stuff the run.
Ronnie Perkins NFL comparison
Using the size and athletic numbers that Ronnie Perkins has, there is a list of pass rushers who came into the NFL with similar metrics. What is interesting about this one is the mix of edge and off-ball linebackers, almost showing he is a tweener body.
Still, some hits such as Demarcus Lawrence, and Yannick Ngauoke came out without blow-out athleticism. The two were pure pass rushers and technicians who were able to develop their game into NFL success.
A more realistic NFL comparison for Ronnie Perkins out of the gate could be Al-Quadin Muhammed of the Indianapolis Colts. He is unknown but is valued as a rotational pass rusher who has five sacks over the past two years. Muhammed does not play full time because he does not stand up well against the run, but is an annoying pass rusher for tackles to handle. He can twist, stunt, and has an arsenal of moves similar to Ronnie Perkins. Ronnie Perkins has high upside but could be used as a pass-rush specialist in the NFL, just like Al-Quadin Muhammed.
Does Ronnie Perkins fit Chicago Bears?
Ronnie Perkins should be a lesson in why Ryan Pace should stop trading future picks. The Bears have an interest in Perkins, and rightfully so. His talent as a pass rusher is impressive. However, they traded a future day three pick last year for Trevis Gipson. Gipson has done minimally in his first season.
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Beyond that, the Bears signed Jeremiah Attaochu, showing less confidence in him. Ronnie Perkins Is a better prospect than Gipson and maybe going in a similar range of the draft. Had the Bears passed on Gipson, they could be in the market for Ronnie Perkins. Now, he would just be admitting that Gipson was a mistake.