LSU LB Harold Perkins inks NIL deal with Dr Pepper

LSU star linebacker Harold Perkins has inked an NIL deal with Dr Pepper, joining the soda company’s long-running tuition giveaway campaign. At the same time, he is expanding his preexisting partnership with the chip company Baller Bites.

Through the combination of the deals, Perkins is launching his own tuition program. Two $5,000 awards will be given out, with one winner in New Orleans and another in Baton Rouge. Tuition recipients will be eligible high school senior football players chosen by media partners in the designated market.

“Dr Pepper has been a part of college football for decades, and being able to team up with them to help students chase their dreams is special,” Perkins told On3 in a statement. “At the same time, Baller Bites lets me build something that’s truly my own. This is about impact — on the field, in business, and in the community.”

The 6-foot-1, 222-pound fourth-year linebacker has 20 tackles, two tackles for loss and two pass breakups through five games this season. Perkins is coming off a 2024 season where he only played in four games before being sidelined with an ACL injury.

A former AP preseason All-America selection, Harold Perkins had a breakout season in 2022 as a true freshman. The former five-star recruit posted 72 tackles, 7.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and an interception en route to earning SEC First-Team selection honors.

Dr Pepper became the first official sponsor of the College Football Playoff back in 2014 and has built entire campaigns around the fan-favorite Fansville series. Its tuition giveaway has awarded more than $17 million to students nationwide.

Perkins has previously inked NIL deals with EA Sports, Sunshine Quality Solutions and Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys, among others. He has an On3 NIL Valuation of $612,000. The On3 NIL Valuation is the leading index in the industry that determines the projected annual value of college and high school athletes by combining Roster Value and NIL Value.