Chargers likely in pursuit of USC's Perry

Earlier this week the San Diego Chargers signed former Baltimore Ravens outside linebacker Jarret Johnson to a four-year conract. Johnson joins an outside linebacker group that includes Shaun Phillips, Travis LaBoy, Antwan Barnes, and 2009 first-round pick Larry English. Given Johnson isn't a dynamic pass-rusher, it's clear the Chargers still need to add one at some point this offseason. There's some speculation that San Diego is in pursuit of Kamerion Wimbley, who was released by the Oakland Raiders yesterday, but the most likely route the Chargers will take is through the NFL draft.

One player drawing a ton of interest from San Diego Chargers fans this draft season has been USC defensive end Nick Perry. In 2011 the Trojans standout, who measured in at 6-3 and weighed 271 pounds during the NFL Scouting Combine, had a productive junior year while combating some of the best offensive linemen in the nation, Stanford's Jonathan Martin being the most notable. Perry finished the season with 9.5 sacks and declared for the draft two months ago.

This offseason The New York Times has run an NFL draft scouting report series compiled by Jonathan Bales, the founder of TheDCTimes. Bales' scouting report on Perry was published this morning, and I found this part of the piece to be the most interesting:

I watched tape of Perry before checking his statistics or combine results, and what I saw coincided with how Perry measured.  He’s an explosive player who is outstanding when moving forward. He fires off the ball and can get upfield in a hurry, and this is represented in his 4.64 40-yard dash time and 38.5-inch vertical leap.  These numbers are sensational for a player his size.

Perry’s speed rush is one of the best in the class, as he uses his explosiveness to quickly gain leverage on slower tackles.  You can see this at the 38-second mark below, when Perry flies off the ball, dips his shoulder and turns the corner.  He’s very good at making his body “small” to limit a target for the blocker.

Off his speed rush, Perry utilizes a full pass rush repertory, including a spin, swim, rip and bull rush.  At the 3:07 mark below, you can see an example of this.  Despite his pass rush versatility, only Perry’s speed rush is effective consistently.


Bales went on to state that Perry isn't an effective defender against the run and possesses tight hips that may lead him to struggle if asked to drop into coverage at the professional level. In spite of that, Bales writes, "A team that runs a 3-4 defense and is in need of a threat off the edge could find Perry attractive, though." Bales listed the Chargers as one of the teams likely to select Perry in the first round.

It would be nice if Perry were considered a more complete player, but it's rare to read a scouting report that has no negatives listed. Moreover, pass-rushers who don't defend the run well have still been able to help lead their teams to Super Bowl championships. Just think of Simeon Rice with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who won Super Bowl XXXVII, and Osi Umenyiora, who has helped the New York Giants capture two of the last five Vince Lombardi Trophies. Even if Perry is awful against the run, the burst and explosiveness he possesses as a pass-rusher will be worth a first-round pick if he can develop into a player capable of collecting 10-15 sacks per season.