Thomas Perry, IOL, Middlebury College
Size:
Height: 6’3” | Weight: 317 pounds
Accomplishments:
First-Team All-NESCAC Offense (2024, 2023, 2022)
“Fundamentally sound with a dominant streak about him, Thomas Perry is the late-round IOL you want on your team.”
Strengths:
Core strength and power
Impressive drive phase
Finishing mentality
Dominant film
Agile and consistent in protection
Concerns:
Lacks some desired size and length
Level of competition
Will need to refine his footwork and stature in the run game
Film Analysis:
It’s not often that Division III athletes get labeled as draft prospects for the NFL. Recently, names like Ali Marpet and Quinn Meinerz have garnered attention for their success in the league, despite coming from Division III football programs. Thomas Perry has a strong chance to join this list.
The Middlebury College guard has been a dominant force in the NESCAC for the past three seasons and has been on NFL radars since before his senior year. Perry did everything he could to demonstrate that he belongs in the NFL; his 2024 season was a dominant display, with him clearly being the best player on the field in every game watched. While it’s hard to predict what will translate from Division III to the NFL, Perry possesses the necessary qualities to succeed at the next level.
Perry’s game is exactly as you’d imagine. From his pass set to his run-game footwork, his style can best be described as traditional. His steps are rigid, intentional, and powerful, though they do limit some fluidity within each rep. Nonetheless, what Perry exhibits from this skill set far transcends its outdatedness.
The film is pure entertainment. At 317 pounds, Perry showcases a rare combination of a compact frame and high-level explosiveness. He comes off the ball like an airplane, consistently outleveraging defenders with textbook knee bend and body mechanics. Upon contact, he drives his feet as if it were second nature, easily displacing opponents. At the second level, he effectively breaks down on contact and anticipates movement. Even at the Division III level, this ability will translate with time. One area where he’ll need to improve quickly, especially against elite NFL defenders, is in bringing his hips to finish off defenders instead of relying on a sled-like drive phase that separates his center of gravity from his lower body, making him susceptible to snatch moves or other block-shedding techniques.
His protection abilities suggest a higher ceiling than one might expect. He possesses high-level redirection skills due to his quick-twitch footwork, a strong punch, and the ability to re-leverage his hips on contact, all of which help him maintain the integrity of the pocket. However, he has struggled at times against slanting rushers who catch him at a short angle.
The obvious question mark is whether Perry’s dominance could lead to significant production in the NFL. That question won’t be answered for a while, but what I can infer from his film is that he lacks nothing in demeanor and mentality. Time and time again, Perry blocked through the whistle, delivering body blows to anyone in his way. His love for the game and his work is evident, generating excitement about how he’ll respond to the NFL’s call. He projects best as a late-round flier, capable of making a 53-man roster with the potential for more.
Prospect Projection: Day 3 — Developmental Traits
Exposures: Colby (2024), Trinity (2024), Hamilton (2024)
