Perry Taken in Sixth Round by the Saints
4/29/2023 5:05:00 PM | Football
Perry becomes the first offensive skill player to be selected since .
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The #ProDeacs family added its newest member when the New Orleans Saints chose wide receiver A.T. Perry with the 195th overall pick in the sixth round.
Perry is just the sixth Wake Forest player to ever be chosen by the Saints and the first since linebacker Stanley Arnoux was chosen in 2009 in the fourth round.
This is the first wide receiver selected in the Dave Clawson era and the first Wake Forest wide receiver to be selected since Michael Campanaro was taken by the Baltimore Ravens in 2014. Overall, this is the 12th draft pick of the Clawson era.
Wake Forest has now had at least one pick in every NFL Draft since 2017, the second-longest streak in the common NFL Draft era (since 1967). That streak matches the program's record of now seven-straight bowl berths. Additionally during this streak, the Demon Deacons have had 36 players sign NFL contracts.
Additionally, this marks the fourth time in the Clawson era that multiple players have been selected in the same draft. It joins the 2022 NFL Draft that saw offensive lineman Zach Tom go to the Green Bay Packers and Ja'Sir Taylor to the Los Angeles Chargers, the 2020 NFL Draft that saw linebacker Justin Strnad go to the Broncos and offensive lineman Justin Herron go to New England Patriots and the 2018 NFL Draft where defensive back Jessie Bates III was chosen by Cincinnati Bengals and defensive lineman Duke Ejiofor was taken by Houston Texans.
From Coach Clawson
"A.T. Perry is someone that has grown tremendously during his time in Winston-Salem and he is truly someone that has invested in the process of what it takes to be successful. He is a rangy, athletic receiver that has been one of the most productive in the Atlantic Coast Conference over the past two years. Additionally, his playmaking ability allowed our offense to stretch the field vertically and stress our opponents defense each possession. Specifically, his speed and route-running ability will allow him to find success with the New Orleans Saints and I look forward to following his career in the NFL."
From Todd McShay of ESPN
"He was one of my best available. I'm happy to see him go. I'm surprised it took this long AT Perry is 6-3.5, 190 lbs. He ran 4.47 at 6-3.5. This is a big, long receiver who can get down the field, you go back and he was productive. I want to see him a little bit more consistent on contested catches. For such a big receiver, you want to talk about production, he set a single season record for Wake Forest with 15 touchdown catches in 2021. He comes back in 2022 with 81 for over 1,000 yards and another 11 touchdowns. This guy can produce and really surprised he's a sixth rounder. We can work on his hands. We can improve his ball skills. You can't coach 6-3.5 with or without the ball."
From Lance Zierlein of NFL Network
"This is a big body guy over . 6-3. He's a competitive player with good size. He ran well at the combine, running a 4.47 and had a good 11 foot broad jump which is really high. His comp is DeVante Parker. He's got long speed for vertical routes. I like this pick. They got a huge value too."
More on Perry
A.T. Perry, who was invited to the East-West Shrine Game and the NFL Combine, ended his Wake Forest career with his name all over the program record book. He had a storied career not only at Wake Forest but in the entire ACC and national landscape that included a program record 28 touchdowns which also is tied for seventh in ACC history. Additionally, Perry holds the program record with 15 touchdown receptions during the 2021 season. He tied the program record with 12 100-yard receiving games, is the only player in program history to have two double-digit touchdown seasons, doing so during the 2021 and 2022 seasons and the only player in program history to have two 1,000-yard seasons, doing so during the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Over Perry's career, he totaled 2,662 receiving yards which ranks third in school history while also ranking sixth in program history with 171 career catches.
The 2022 Phil Steele All-American and two-time First Team All-ACC selection capped his career with another stellar season, posting a career-best 81 receptions during his historic 2022 campaign while finishing with 1,096 receiving yards and 11 touchdown receptions.
The Biletnikoff Award and Maxwell Award Watch List member had 10 or more catches three times during the season including 11 catches for 116 yards in the Gasparilla Bowl victory over Missouri, the third bowl victory in Perry's time at Wake Forest. He also recorded at least one touchdown reception in nine of 13 games during the season.
During the 2021 season, potentially his most memorable moment of the season came at Syracuse when all three of Perry's catches (137 receiving yards) went for touchdowns including the game winner in overtime to secure a 40-37 win for the Deacs and a 6-0 start to the season and earned him ACC Receiver of the Week. His 15 total touchdowns en route to an ACC Atlantic and Gator Bowl victory are tied for the fifth most in ACC history and the third highest total since 1997.
What's Out There?
Check out all the social media buzz around Perry being selected by the Saints.
EMBEDDED TWEETS/SOCIAL POSTS
With the 195th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the New Orleans Saints select WR A.T. Perry! #SaintsDraft | @CoxComm pic.twitter.com/XgFDNR61ql
— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) April 29, 2023
NOLA bound ⚜️
— Wake Forest Football (@WakeFB) April 29, 2023
Big time, @atorian_perry 🎩 pic.twitter.com/Q7sAgI7uf6
Hey @Saints, A.T. Perry is SPECIAL 🤩@WakeFB | #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/bDTDPsVmM6
— ACC Network (@accnetwork) April 29, 2023
#ShrineBowl ➡️ @NFL
— East-West Shrine Bowl (@ShrineBowl) April 29, 2023
Congrats to A.T. Perry (@atorian_perry) from @WakeFB on being drafted by the @Saints in the sixth round of the #NFLDraft.
#ShrineBowlPRO pic.twitter.com/4ZCYh6WEYg
Saints trade up to get Wake Forest WR A.T. Perry at No. 195 ⚜️ pic.twitter.com/TS4xNuv8fD
— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) April 29, 2023
.@Saints fans, I am SHOCKED AT Perry was available for you guys at pick 195. Would've been a good pick 100 picks earlier.
— Eric Galko (@EricGalko) April 29, 2023
Long, dynamic, efficient, and a high-end finisher. Don't be surprised if he emerges as a starter by 2024, if not sooner.
Congrats #Saints fans. #ShrineBowl https://t.co/HaR7x0V3bH pic.twitter.com/fYyrq5H3rr
