NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Growing up near Fort Campbell as the son of two Military officers, going to the Naval Academy seemed natural for Malcolm Perry. A NFL career seemed far less certain.
But over his four years in Annapolis Perry became one of the most decorated Midshipmen ever on the football field, catching the attention of pro scouts. He’s now projected to be a late round pick in this week’s NFL Draft.
“Every little boy that grows up watching football dreams of one day getting his name called in the Draft,” Perry said this week as the Draft approaches. “I’m just extremely grateful to be in this situation.”
Perry enrolled at Navy as an undersized running back. Four years later the 5’9, 190 pounder finished his career as a record-breaking quarterback.
He broke the Academy’s all-time single season rushing record, by reaching the elite level of two-thousand yard rushers. Add his 1,084 yards passing with his 2,017 yards on the ground and Perry also become the school’s single season record holder for total yards.
That type of production helped make him one of the rare Midshipmen to garner attention from the NFL.
“I think I evolved a lot from a freshman to a senior,” Perry said. “And I think it shows by how well (I progressed) and played throughout the years.”
Now the 2019 American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year is transitioning positions again. Perry says while some NFL teams have expressed interest in him as a running back, most see him as a slot receiver and as a special teams weapon.
So he’s focused his energy on training to become a better receiver to try to improve his chances of making a roster.
“I have some experience at Navy at the slot position, so it’s not foreign to me,” Perry said. “It’s what I’ve been working on.”
Perry will be one of the first service academy players to benefit from a recent defense department change. Last fall the Defense Secretary signed a memo that made it easier for star athletes that trained at one of the academies to pursue professional sports careers out of college.
Previously all service academy athletes were required to seek a waiver to delay their five-year service commitment and allow them to pursue their sport.
“There’s been plenty of people in our history that have show (to be good enough),” Perry said. “They just didn’t get the chance. I’ve felt nothing but support. Everybody’s been great with my decision to pursue football.”
Perry hopes to become the first Midshipmen drafted since former Goodpasture star Keenan Reynolds in 2016. Reynolds, quite notably, received the waiver in 2016, and his selection by the Baltimore Ravens helped raise awareness for the need for the defense department to make a policy change.
Perry is thankful he’s been afforded the opportunity to pursue a career in football, but remains committed to his military service as well. He plans to serve his five years in the Marine Corps whenever his football days are done.
“I went to school to serve in the military,” Perry said. “That’s my final goal, that’s what I went to school for four years to do. But also having the opportunity to play football, I think I have a lot of support from the faculty and staff, and also from the students.”
Perry remains loyal to the Academy and to his country. But right now he pledges to give everything he’s got for the team that’s willing to make his NFL dreams come true.
“(They’re going to get) a kid that gives it his all in everything he does,” Perry promised. “More than happy to do whatever you ask him to do, and it’s probably going to get done.”
