Overview

Position: Running Back

Height: 5’11”

Weight: 216 pounds

School: Florida Gators

Combine Performance Data

40-yard dash: 4.62 seconds

Bench press: 22 reps

Vertical jump: 35 inches

Broad jump: 9 feet, 10 inches

Three-cone drill: 7.13 inches

20-yard shuttle: 4.31 seconds

Lamical Perine 2020 NFL Draft Profile

A four-star recruit and 2016’s 10th-best player regardless of position from the state of Alabama according to Rivals.com, Lamical Perine committed to Florida fairly early, doing so in May of 2015. He made a fairly noticeable impact as a true freshman, accounting for 582 total yards (421 rushing, 161 receiving) and two touchdowns (one each rushing and receiving). It was only the beginning of what would become an impressive four-year career in Gainsville that saw him emerge as one of college football’s top multi-faceted running backs.

Perine’s most prolific season from the standpoint of rushing touchdowns came in 2017 when he managed eight while also adding a lone touchdown catch. The following year, he added a further seven scores on the ground (as well as another receiving touchdown) while rushing for 826 yards which would ultimately be the best mark of his college career. His rushing production did go down during his senior season as he finished with just 676 yards and six rushing touchdowns. But it was likely a function of his impressive contribution in the Gators passing game. Perine’s five touchdown hauls in 2019 were the most for a Florida running back in 37 years.

Perine is looking to join two players he’s related to in the pros: running back Samaje Perine of the Washington Redskins and linebacker Myles Jack of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Strengths

boasts ideal physical traits for a next-level player at his position;

a no-nonsense downhill, north-south runner;

contact balance is hugely impressive;

bounces off would-be tacklers to get yards after contact;

functional burst to beat opponents to the perimeter;

has the pass-catching acumen NFL teams crave out of running backs;

determined to haul in the contested catches when lined up as a receiver;

should function as a solid decoy in the RPO game;

offers value on special teams;

consistent contributor all four years of his college career.

Weaknesses

running style isn’t the most dynamic;

struggles to improvise in real-time if his initial gap closes on him;

lateral agility is somewhat ordinary;

doesn’t do enough to make guys miss in open space;

a tad too gung-ho running into contact;

needs a lot of work as a blocker or else he’ll consistently be a liability in pass pro.

NFL Comparison: Isaiah Crowell

Teams With Need at Position: Arizona Cardinals, Buffalo Bills, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Projection: Fourth to fifth round

Bottom Line

A versatile back who contributed during all four of his seasons with the Gators, Lamical Perine checks many boxes when it comes to players capable of excelling at the next level. In particular, his ability to catch passes out of the backfield will certainly intrigue teams in need of a potential instant impact rookie. He’s also consistently able to bounce off would-be tacklers due to his above-average contact balance. These types of traits, among others, are what the top running backs in the league possess.

But Perine needs to become much more well-rounded as a blocker if he wants to truly have every-down value at the next level. His decisive north-south running style is ideal but it also hints at a lack of game-changing lateral athleticism. That could limit him at the next level. He also doesn’t have much of an exit strategy when defenders win at the point of attack and converge on him. Still, he should be able to compete for reserve reps early on and has the potential to quickly evolve as a key cog as part of a committee backfield.

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