| Advertisement |
|
|
SOUTH BEND – Most Friday nights, David Perkins is the most physically imposing player on the field. At 6-foot-2, 209 pounds, with a 4.43 time in the 40-yard dash, the South Bend Washington senior’s physical abilities are obvious.
It is the intangibles that make him the player he is.
"He's one of the team leaders,” Washington coach Antwon Jones said. “His play on the field inspires the kids. You can't help but get excited when you see him run somebody."
"It's natural,” Perkins said. “I feel like I'm a natural leader. When a play needs to be made, I want to be the one to fill that leadership role and make that play. And if there is something that needs to be done, you can count on me for it to be done."
Perkins plays both offense (RB) and defense (LB), in a day and age where that is becoming increasingly uncommon at the 4A level.
"Jones conditioned me,” Perkins said. “He told me, ‘you're going to have to be ready this year, because it's going to be a lot.’ And I really focused on that, and that allows me to play both ways at a high level."
"He just worked his butt off to improve his overall game," Jones said.
Rivals.com lists Perkins as the 166th best prospect in the entire country. In June, he verbally committed to play for Notre Dame. Last month, he de-committed and says he's no longer considering Notre Dame, which hit the message boards like lightning.
"I knew there was going to be some people who were going to throw salt,” Perkins said. “And I also knew there were, most importantly, people who were going to have my back."
But he's not worried about any of that. He just thinks about where he will play this weekend and hopefully, the week after.
"He wants to play in a state championship game with his brothers," Jones said.
And he is almost there.