Lamical Perine ended his UF career on a high note. The Jets chose him in the fourth round
Lamical Perine closed his college football career with the Florida Gators in the biggest way possible. The running back posted a career-high 138 rushing yards with three total touchdowns and earned MVP honors as UF paved its way to an Orange Bowl victory at Miami Gardens’ Hard Rock Stadium.
Next up? A chance to make an NFL roster.
The New York Jets selected Perine in the fourth round — No. 120 overall — in the 2020 NFL Draft on Saturday. Perine joins UF teammate Jabari Zuniga with the Jets. Zuniga was a third-round pick on Friday.
Perine, 5-11 and 216 pounds out of Mobile, Alabama, finished his UF career ninth in school history with 3,159 yards from scrimmage (2,485 rushing, 674 receiving) and 30 total touchdowns.
He scored 11 touchdowns as a senior, his first year as a full-time starter. Perine was one of only two Football Bowl Subdivision running backs in 2019 to finish with at least 40 receptions, 125 carries, five rushing and receiving touchdowns, 675 rushing yards and 250 receiving yards.
“His stats say this or just what the stats say. But you know what, you look at every time we needed a big run during the season, he came up with a lot of big runs during the season. He also showed he’s probably one of the top receiving backs in the country coming out of the backfield,” UF coach Dan Mullen said of Perine after the Orange Bowl. “Instead of worrying about, ‘Hey, where are my rushing stats,’ he worried about am I doing what I need to do to help the team win and to be the great player on the team when the game is on the line that they can go to me, run or throw or protect the quarterback. I’m going to be ready to make a play.”
NFL analyst Lance Zierlein characterizes Perine as a “backup-caliber running back who fails to dazzle in any particular area, but who does enough of what’s asked of him and has the character traits to become a dependable pro. He’s most skilled in the early stages of the run, where his sticky feet and quick eyes help him find his initial rush tracks, but his lack of burst and second-level creativity make him more of a grinder than a playmaker. He has the play traits to compete for a backup role in a one-cut scheme, and his special teams experience improves his chances.”
This story was originally published April 25, 2020 at 12:48 PM.
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