Miami Dolphins rookie Malcolm Perry was not a super hot commodity in the 2020 NFL Draft — he lasted until the final round, after all. But regardless of Perry’s NFL projection and his ability to stick on the Dolphins’ roster in 2020 and beyond, one thing that is impossible to ignore is that Perry is one slippery dude.
Perry played quarterback for Navy and was the triggerman to the Midshipmen’s option offense — showcasing terrific agility and creativity with the ball in his hands. That trait ultimately helped convince the Dolphins to make the investment into his skills and he’ll now try to apply those gifts to the field as either a running back or a wide receiver. But just how elusive was Perry?
Not only did he rush for over 2,000 yards in 2019 as a senior, Perry forced nearly twice as many missed tackles in 2019 as the next best non-running back in the country! That stat comes courtesy of Pro Football Focus’ college charting and serves as perhaps the most impressive reminder of what Perry is capable of with the ball in his hands.
Forced missed tackles among non-RBs in 2019:
1. Malcolm Perry, Navy – 90
2. Lynn Bowden Jr, Kentucky – 55 pic.twitter.com/jR5DACzJk9— PFF College (@PFF_College) July 4, 2020
It’s now up to the Dolphins to find the right role for Perry to have the ball in his hands in the pros — and if he’s able to replicate anywhere near the same levels of success, odds are the Dolphins are going to be smitten with this late round selection. It may require some time and some investment into Perry on the practice squad before any tangible production comes around and Perry’s odds to make an early impact may be damaged by the dwindling number of preseason games on the schedule in 2020.
If there are no preseason games to be played, Perry may end up landing on the practice squad by default. If he does, it is hard to envision another team plucking him from Miami in favor of their active roster with no NFL reps on his resume.