LSU linebackers named to prestigious defensive award watchlist
LSU football linebackers Harold Perkins Jr. and Whit Weeks were named to the Lott Trophy watch list.
The trophy is awarded annually to the nation's best defensive player for impact on and off the field. The last Tiger to take home the award was Glenn Dorsey in 2004. With Weeks and Perkins, LSU is aiming to have one of the best linebacker duos in the SEC.
Perkins and Weeks are both coming off significant injuries in 2024. Perkins went down in Week Four with a knee injury, while Weeks was carted off the field in the second quarter of the Kinder's Texas Bowl after sustaining multiple lower-body injuries.
Weeks led the team with 125 tackles, including 10 for loss and 3.5 sacks. He added six quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles, and an interception. Despite sitting out all spring, he will be at full strength for summer workouts.
Perkins burst onto the scene as one of the SEC's top pass rushers in 2022, but Perkins moved to inside linebacker in 2023. It was an adjustment for the former five-star recruit, but he made 75 tackles, including 13 for loss, in a second-team All-SEC season as a sophomore.
The New Orleans native will aim to increase his NFL Draft stock with a standout senior season.
Perkins' exact role in 2025 remains to be seen. There's been talk of Perkins' playing the STAR position in Blake Baker's defense, but that slot is usually manned by a defensive back. Look for LSU to take advantage of Perkins' versatility this fall.
Where Whit Weeks and Harold Perkins ranked as recruits
Weeks and Perkins were both among the top linebackers in the country in their respective recruiting classes.
Perkins, a member of the 2022 class, was the No. 9 overall prospect and No. 1-ranked linebacker. Weeks signed in 2023 and ranked No. 149 overall in the On3 Industry Rankings. Weeks was the No. 15-ranked linebacker in his class.
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