Humphrey, Perkins Go On Day Two of NFL Draft

NORMAN — Oklahoma center Creed Humphrey and defensive end Ronnie Perkins became the first two Sooners selected in the 2021 NFL Draft on Friday night. Humphrey was taken with the No. 31 pick in the second round (No. 63 overall) by the Kansas City Chiefs and Perkins went to the New England Patriots with the No. 33 selection in the third round (No. 96 overall).

Humphrey and Perkins are the 17th and 18th OU draft picks of the Lincoln Riley head coaching era.

Humphrey is the eighth OU offensive lineman drafted under offensive line coach Bill Bedenbaugh over the past seven seasons, and sixth over the last four drafts. The only Sooner offensive lineman drafted higher than Humphrey over the last eight years was Cody Ford, who was taken in the second round (No. 38 overall) in 2019 by Buffalo.

"I got the phone call just a little before they announced the name and I was just so excited and relieved to finally get back with a team and get to work," said Humphrey by phone Friday night. "Really, I couldn't ask for a better organization to go to. I was extremely pumped up.

"Obviously the Chiefs have so much talent, and everything is just run really well with the coaching staff and the GM. Everyone does a great job up there and it's a winning culture just like OU is. So I was extremely excited to go to a place like that."

From Shawnee, Okla., the 6-4, 302-pound Humphrey, who is the first OU center drafted since Chris Chester was taken in the second round (No. 56 overall) in 2006 by Baltimore, was a member of four Big 12 championship teams and three College Football Playoff squads in his four seasons as a Sooner. After redshirting in 2017, he started 37 of OU's 39 games (including each of the last 36) the past three seasons and helped the program to a 33-6 record. According to PFF, he did not allow a sack on 1,297 career pass plays and permitted only two quarterback hits.

Humphrey will be reunited with former fellow OU offensive lineman Orlando Brown (they were teammates during the 2017 season), who was traded to Kansas City last week.

"I'm so pumped to be back on the same team as Orlando," said Humphrey. "That's just so special. And I get to snap to Patrick Mahomes, who's a superstar and a such a great competitor. So I'm excited for all that."

The two-time Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year and two-time first-team All-Big 12 selection (2019 and '20) earned 2019 second-team All-America honors from the Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, Sporting News and Walter Camp Foundation. He was also one of three Rimington Trophy finalists. As a redshirt junior in 2020, Humphrey was an AP third-team All-American.

"I'm so pumped to be back on the same team as Orlando. That's just so special. And I get to snap to Patrick Mahomes, who's a superstar and a such a great competitor. So I'm excited for all that."
Creed Humphrey

Humphrey's redshirt freshman campaign in 2018 resulted in him earning freshman All-America honors from the FWAA and The Athletic, and OU's offensive line winning the Joe Moore Award (nation's best offensive line unit) as the Sooners led the nation in scoring (48.4 ppg) and total offense (570.3 ypg).

"Creed was certainly one of our leaders the last couple of years," said Riley. "He stuck out early in his career, became the starting center and developed into a really good all-around player and a good leader. He's certainly one of the more talented offensive linemen we've had come through our program. I think he'll have a long and very positive career in the NFL."

During Humphrey's three years as a starter, OU ranked second nationally in scoring offense (44.6 ppg), total offense (537.3 ypg), pass efficiency rating (185.1) and yards per rush (5.8), and sixth in passing offense (311.5 ypg).

Humphrey also excelled in the classroom and was a three-time Academic All-Big 12 Team honoree (2018-20). He graduated in December with a finance degree.

"Thank you to everybody for what I got to be a part of the last four years," said Humphrey. "I'm so excited that I got to start my career at OU. Now it's time for the next chapter and time to go win some more rings."

Perkins is OU's highest-drafted defensive end since Dan Cody was selected No. 53 overall in 2005 by Baltimore. He played in 33 career games over the last three seasons (25 starts), helping the Sooners to three Big 12 titles and two College Football Playoff appearances. He finished with 99 tackles (61 solo), 32 tackles for loss (for 123 yards), 16.5 sacks (for 85 yards), two forced fumbles and 19 quarterback hurries, and earned second-team All-Big 12 honors in 2019 and 2020.

"It was a real nerve-racking night," Perkins said by phone about an hour after he was drafted. "I saw a lot of guys get picked in front of me, but I just kept my faith in God and kept my head up and the Patriots came and got me. It's really a dream come true to go play for a coach like Coach (Bill) Belichick."

Perkins' shortened 2020 junior season was statistically magnificent. He had to sit out the first five games, but over the final six contests he logged 24 tackles (16 solo), 10.5 tackles for loss (for 49 yards), 5.5 sacks (for 32 yards) and nine quarterback hurries. He averaged 0.9 sacks, 1.8 tackles for loss and 1.5 QB hurries in those contests.

As a sophomore in 2013, Perkins started all 13 of his games (missed the CFP Semifinal at the Peach Bowl) and ranked second on the team with 13.5 tackles for loss (40 yards) and 6.0 sacks (for 28 yards). He also registered six QB hurries and a forced fumble.

Perkins, a 6-2 1/2, 253-pound criminology major who hails from St. Louis, started seven of his 14 games as a true freshman in 2018 (named a Freshman All-American by ESPN) and logged 37 tackles, 8.0 TFLs (for 34 yards), 5.0 sacks (for 25 yards) and four QB hurries.

"I had a good sense they were interested in me, and they were one of the last teams that interviewed me," Perkins said of the Patriots. "So I had a good feeling about them coming into the draft.

"It's a storied organization. It's a blessing to go a place like that where everyone is held to a high standard. It's really all I could ask for as a football player."

Riley reflected on Perkins' time as a Sooner and predicted big things ahead.

"Ronnie was a leader and impact player in our program for the last couple years," said Riley. "He's really developed into an outstanding edge player. He's equally good in pass rush as he is in defending the run game. He plays with an edge and an attitude that really takes a guy who's talented and transforms him into becoming an even better player. I think he'll certainly be a guy who will create a lot of problems on the edge at the next level for the Patriots."

Asked if he had a final message for OU fans, Perkins was quick to respond.

"I just want to tell OU fans thank you for the greatest three years of my life. Without them, I wouldn't be a New England Patriot. The fans played a big part in me going to Oklahoma. I remember my official visit — 2017 vs. Texas Tech. I remember that exact moment, looking around the crowd and telling myself, 'I'm coming to this university.' The OU fans played a big part in my success and they helped me fight through adversity. So shoutout to everyone for sticking with me."

The fourth through seventh rounds of the NFL Draft will be held Saturday.