Jesse Perry
Tennessee#47 overallScouting Report
Jesse Perry is a 6-6, 320-pound Tennessee lineman who jumped onto 2027 boards on the strength of a redshirt freshman season spent bouncing between tackle and guard. CBS Sports put him at No. 49 on its 2027 preseason big board and praised the frame first, calling it the kind of body born to carry 300-plus pounds, and the evaluation there is that he lands on the interior in the NFL despite the time he logged outside. The same report flagged his ability to match power and move bodies as a true sophomore as the most impressive part of the tape. Scouting Grade is a touch cooler, slotting him No. 65 overall and fourth among 2027 interior linemen with a current third-round projection, and its charted sample has his pass protection well ahead of his run blocking. Draft Scout lists him at jersey No. 72 and rates him the No. 11 guard in its class, with his projection still carrying a recheck note as his role settles. The signature performance came in Week 13 of 2025 at Florida, where he started at right guard, played all 73 offensive snaps and surrendered no sack, no quarterback hit and no penalty in a 31-11 win. The conference named him SEC Co-Offensive Lineman of the Week for it, pointing to a 248-yard rushing night, Tennessee's best against Florida since 1992, and 452 total yards with 323 coming before halftime. The open question is not whether the body or the power translate; it is which spot he settles into and whether the run blocking catches up to the pass protection.
NFL Comparison
Power-first interior anchor with the frame and finishing temperament of a Kevin Zeitler; tackle-sized guard projection in the Mekhi Becton mold if the run blocking catches up
Draft Movement
Holding at #47 since Oct 5
Strengths
- Outstanding frame for the position at 6-6, 320, described by CBS as born to carry 300-plus pounds
- Matches power and moves defenders, which stood out as a true sophomore
- Pass protection is the stronger half of his charted profile, with a high efficiency rate
- Played all 73 offensive snaps at right guard against Florida without allowing a sack, a quarterback hit or a penalty
- Versatile enough to have split 2025 between tackle and guard, which widens his range of jobs
- Anchored the run game in Tennessee's 248-yard rushing night at Florida, its best against the Gators since 1992
- Cleanest sheet of the night among Tennessee's offensive line per the SEC release
- Young for his place on the board as a redshirt underclassman with starting experience already banked
Weaknesses
- Run blocking is the clear soft spot and lags his pass protection by a wide margin in Scouting Grade's charted sample
- Position is still unsettled, with his college time at tackle and his projection on the interior
- Draft Scout still carries a recheck tag on his rating as the role sorts out
- Limited body of starting work, with his breakout coming as a redshirt freshman
- Sustaining and finishing blocks is the specific run-game trait evaluators want to see improve
- Height at 6-6 puts a premium on pad level in the tight space guards work in
- No combine or pro day testing on file, so the athletic profile is still a projection
- Boards disagree on him by roughly 15 spots, which reflects how much of the grade is still projection rather than production
College Stats
2025: redshirt freshman starter at right guard, 73 snaps at Florida with no sack, QB hit or penalty allowed, blocked for a 248-yard rushing night; split 2025 starts between tackle and guard; 2024: no appearances
College Market Value
Our model prices him at $494K on the open college market, built from production, pedigree, role and Tennessee's program money. No credible deal has been reported for him this season.
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Measurables
Awards & Honors
SEC Co-Offensive Lineman of the Week (Week 13, 2025); CBS Sports 2027 preseason big board No. 49; Scouting Grade 2027 big board No. 65, IOL4; Draft Scout No. 11 guard