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OXFORD — He might have been listed as a defensive end on Ole Miss’ official roster for a period of time this summer. But don’t expect sophomore defender Suntarine Perkins to stay put in one spot on the field in 2024. Perkins figures to be defensive coordinator Pete Golding’s newest Swiss Army Knife.
Perkins was a five-star recruit and a unanimous top-100 prospect as a linebacker in the Rebels’ 2023 class after starring on both sides of the ball at Raleigh High School. Perkins made 92 tackles and intercepted four passes and ran for 2,078 yards and 32 touchdowns as a senior for the Lions, leading Raleigh to the Mississippi 3A title.
Perkins played in every game for the Rebels as a true freshman in 2023 and made a pair of starts. He finished with 38 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks and was named to the SEC All-Freshman team. During the spring, Perkins — currently listed at 6-foot-1, 210 pounds — spent much of his time lined up on the defensive line rather than at linebacker and, when the team’s summer roster was unveiled, he had been officially moved to defensive end. He was moved back to linebacker when the fall rosters were updated.
“So far everything’s gone pretty good,” Perkins said of his move to end.
According to Pro Football Focus, Perkins played 346 total snaps last season — 163 were as a run defender, 132 came as a pass rusher and 51 were coverage drops. Versatility is a reason Golding thinks Perkins is a perfect fit for his defense. Perkins’ natural athletic ability allows him to do a bit of everything and keeps his intentions on a given play somewhat of a mystery to the offense. Just because he’s listed as one thing on the roster or depth chart doesn’t mean that’s where he will always line up.
“We move that guy around a lot, and so they always have to account for…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/expect-see-suntarine-perkins-lot-010100504.html
Author : Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, Tupelo
Publish date : 2024-08-15 01:01:00
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