Jesse Perry OT Tennessee |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #72 SUB-POSITION: Multi-role OL | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 10/07/2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2027 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 5.25 seconds (53%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Jersey: #72 | |
| SUB-POSITION: Multi-role OL | |
| Last Updated: 10/07/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2027 | |
| Forty time: 5.25 seconds (53%*) | |
| Overall Rating: |
81.1 / 100
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| Average rating of opposition Defense player has faced | ||
| Defense Rating: |
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76% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Pass Blocking: |
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67% |
| Run Blocking: |
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74% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
6th
Overall Rank:
#193
Position rank:
#30 (OL)
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| College Games: 22 College Snaps: 1217 | ||
ESPN RATING: 77/100
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247 RATING: 88/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.6 (92%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Trey Smith - Tennessee |
|
97% |
| Emery Jones Jr. - LSU |
|
92% |
| Thayer Munford - Ohio State |
|
91% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Jesse Perry was the Division II-A East Region Offensive Line MVP at Middle Tennessee Christian, where he helped his team to a 12-1 state title season and also made 43 tackles on defense. A three-star recruit with more than 25 Division I offers, he picked the in-state Volunteers over Vanderbilt, Memphis and Mississippi State.Perry enrolled at Tennessee at around 270 pounds and has added more than 50 since. He redshirted in 2024 and learned on the morning of the 2025 opener against Syracuse that he would start in place of an injured David Sanders Jr. He went on to start 12 of 13 games, seven at right tackle and five at right guard, earning SEC Co-Offensive Lineman of the Week honors for the Florida game and second-team Freshman All-America recognition from The Athletic.
A preseason All-SEC pick, Perry has started every game at right tackle in 2026 for a 4-1 Tennessee team, highlighted by a standout run-blocking day against Kennesaw State.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Run blocking is the strength, creating movement on down blocks and double teams
- Versatile, with starts at right tackle and right guard against SEC fronts
- Generated his best run-blocking tape of 2026 against Kennesaw State
- Gave up no pressures in 74 snaps against Georgia during his freshman season
- Still growing into his frame after adding more than 50 pounds since enrolling
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Pass protection trails his run blocking: 14 pressures allowed in five games, eight against Texas
- Edge speed gives him trouble when he is left on an island at tackle
- Projects best inside at guard, where his power plays up and length matters less
- Two years of eligibility remain, and another season would sharpen his pass sets
Scouting Report: Summary
Perry has become one of the SEC's more useful young linemen, a three-star from a small private school who was thrown into the starting lineup on the morning of the 2025 opener and has not come out since. He has started at right tackle and right guard, and the run game is where he does his best work, playing with a strong base and finishes blocks with an edge. The Kennesaw State game this season showed how physical he can be when he is moving forward.However, his pass protection has gone backward in 2026. After a promising freshman season on the edge, he has allowed 14 pressures in five games, including eight against Texas, and he does not yet have the anchor or recovery skills to consistently handle top SEC rushers on an island. That profile suggests his long-term home may be inside at guard, where his power plays up and the speed rushers are farther away.
Overall, Perry is a tough, versatile run blocker with plenty of room to grow. He projects as a sixth-round prospect if he declares, whose best outcome is a starting right guard and whose fallback is a valuable backup able to cover three spots. Another year in Knoxville would likely do more for his draft stock than an early jump.
How other scouting services rate Jesse Perry (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
200.7
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
36.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.