There is little doubt that Nick Perry will be selected in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft. Given his strong showing at the NFL Combine and impressive individual workouts for various teams, you can bet he'll likely hear his name called somewhere in the back-half of the first round.
Players capable of playing both the defensive end and OLB positions are very valuable, especially when you consider the emergence of rookies like Aldon Smith and Von Miller from last season. Teams value versatility and few players feature more of it than the former standout with the USC Trojans.
The guys at USA Today recently surveyed five draft experts for their latest mock draft projections. Four out of the five had Perry going somewhere in the first round.
Nate Davis, a columnist for USA Today, has Perry going to the Chargers with the 18th pick. Rob Rang of NFLDraftScouting.com has him going one spot lower to the Bears. Jim Corbett of USA Today and Wes Bunting of National Football Post have Perry going to the Patriots with the No. 31 overall selection.
The first round of the 2012 Draft is set for Thursday, April 26 from New York City.
For more on Perry and the USC Trojans, check out Conquest Chronicles.