From now until the 2025 NFL Draft, we hope to scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, Day 3 selections, or priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Middlebury guard/center Thomas Perry.
No. 67 Thomas Perry/OL Middlebury – 6023, 311 pounds (Senior)
MEASUREMENTS
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Thomas Perry | 6023/311* | 9 1/8* | 31 5/8* | 78 1/4* |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| 5.30** | N/A | 4.53** | 8.08** | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| 9’3″** | 29.5** | 31** |
*Shrine Bowl Measurements
** Pro Day numbers (at UConn)
The Good
– NFL height/weight for the position with filled-out frame
– Great play strength and pushes his weight around as a run blocker, wins in a phone booth
– Can latch and drive in the run game
– Plays through the whistle and looks to finish blocks
– Shows snap out of his stance as a puller and frequently on the move
– Powerful base and anchor, able to sit in his stance and doesn’t get pushed back into the pocket
– Some positional flexibility
– Good hand placement and punch
– ID’s blitzes/stunts and plays with active eyes
– Regarded by trainers and coaches as hard worker
– Flashed ability to “play up” against competition during Shrine Bowl practices
The Bad
– Lacks length and stocky build
– Limited athlete with choppy and tight movements
– Plays with forward body lean in run game, prone to falling off blocks and lack of length causes him to get chest-to-chest too often
– On the ground too often in run game
– Struggles to slide laterally and mirror rushes on his edges, can give up the corner in pass protection
– Limited center experience and still needs developed; repeated low/slow snaps in chances
– Obvious competition concerns coming from D-III level
– Stood out against competition but didn’t dominate the way you’d expect
– Most of college reps came out of two-point stance
Bio
– Played in roughly 30 NFL games; college only plays 9-game seasons
– Three-time First-Team All-Conference (NESCAC) selection
– Named 2024 AFCA First Team All-American while also making All-Academic lists
– First Middlebury player to ever attend Shrine Bowl
– Can bench 505 pounds, side squat 405 pounds for “multiple reps”
– Overlooked college recruit in part due to having 2020 season wiped out by COVID and lack of size in HS (6’1, 250 pounds), and attending tiny high school (546 student total enrollment)
– 3.96 GPA with degree in biochemistry and minor in math
– Has trained with o-line guru Duke Manyweather ahead of 2024 season and ahead of 2025 draft; compared Perry to Zach Frazier
– Will attend Boston College Pro Day March 24
– Wakes up at 3:30 AM each day, has a “12-egg breakfast” and in bed by 7:30
– Played guard entire college career, didn’t take a snap at center, but repped at center during Shrine Bowl week
– Earned nickname “Thomas The Tank” for solid Shrine Bowl reps
– Standout high school wrestler
– Father played football at Brown
Tape Breakdown
And if you’re wondering where Middlebury College is located, you’re not alone. It’s in Vermont. NFL scouts unearthed Perry after three solid years at the D-III level.
Perry earned national buzz for a strong set of Shrine Bowl practices, winning reps against defensive linemen from the Power 5. His strength translates across all levels: a compact frame with good technique and core strength to anchor down in pass protection and move people in the running game.
A couple clips to show. As you’d expect, tape is difficult to come by, but we had enough to complete a full report. Perry is the LG, No. 67, in the Middlebury clips, and No. 62, playing center and left guard, in the Shrine Bowl. I showed the run game clips first, followed by the pass pro/anchor.
At Middlebury, I liked his snap and burst as a puller, able to kick out and log players on the edge.
He didn’t look as spry to get out in space at the Shrine Bowl as the game spaced out around him.
Perry played nearly every snap of his college career at left guard. He moved to right guard for a handful of snaps in short-yardage situations. At the Shrine Bowl, he repped at center but is clearly a work-in-progress with low and slow snaps being a problem throughout the game.
Perry is a choppy mover in pass protection which gives him problems on his edges by quick gap-shooters in the run game. That’s where he gets beat.
He plays with too much forward body lean, especially as a run blocker. Couple that with a lack of length, and he ends up falling off blocks and on the ground.
Conclusion
Overall, Thomas Perry is proof that the NFL will find talent. His strength is NFL-standard, and his work ethic is reportedly off the charts. He’ll give you everything he’s got. But there are length and athletic limitations, and he’s got to improve his snapping to be a trusted center and increase his value. He’s got to be able to do more than just play guard.
He’s certainly worth a big-league look, but he’d be better served taking the chance in the undrafted pool rather than the first seven rounds. My NFL comparison is Ted Karras.
Projection: Undrafted Free Agent
Depot Draft Grade: 5.9 – Undrafted Free Agent (Priority Free Agent)
Games Watched: at Tufts (2022), at Tufts (2024), 2025 Shrine Bowl
