Former Navy star QB Perry is catching on with Dolphins
On Friday at Miami Dolphins training camp, a pair of rookies connected for a touchdown.
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa showed excellent touch in throwing a perfect fade pass in the corner of the end zone to slot receiver Malcolm Perry, who had beaten his defender off the line of scrimmage.
Tagovailoa is considered the future of the franchise after being selected fifth overall in 2020 NFL draft following a decorated career at Alabama. Perry, on the other hand, was viewed as more of a developmental project after being chosen in the seventh round (246th overall) out of Navy.
That’s because Perry is being asked to make the conversion from quarterback in a triple-option offense at Navy into a quick-spread passing attack with the Dolphins.
However, early indications are that Perry might be able to contribute earlier than Tagovailoa, who is expected to learn the NFL game from the sideline this season while backing up returning starter Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Just one week into training camp, Perry has already displayed the speed, quickness and burst that enabled him to set a Football Bowl Subdivision record for rushing yards by a quarterback last season.
“Malcolm is an interesting guy, having played quarterback in the option and he’s got some good quickness. He’s got a feel for the game,” Dolphins offensive coordinator Chan Gailey said. “He’s played tag growing up. He knows how to make people miss and make them get out of the way.”
Miami initially listed Perry as a running back when it announced the Naval Academy graduate as the team’s last pick in the draft. However, circumstances have since changed as the Dolphins had two receivers — Albert Wilson and Allen Hurns — opt out because of coronavirus concerns.
Perry has been working almost exclusively as a slot receiver so far and appears to be adjusting well to the role. Gailey quickly noticed Perry’s innate ability to make moves based off the defensive player’s positioning and alignment.
“He’s learned early on how to look at a guy and know when he’s off-balance or he’s got his foot in the wrong place and he can make a move the other way,” Gailey said. “So, he’s got a little unique talent there and that’s one thing that gives me hope that he can play receiver for us because he does have a feel for getting people off-balance, finding holes.”
Perry played slotback for Navy his entire sophomore season and part of his junior campaign. In the Midshipmen’s system, slots line up just off the line of scrimmage and outside the tackle box. They must go in tail motion to catch pitchouts or sometimes release directly to run passing routes.
In terms of position on the field and operation, a Navy slotback is somewhat similar to an NFL slot receiver. Gailey believes Perry’s time as a quarterback is an advantage when switching positions.
“Probably playing quarterback helped him understand the game fairly well, so he’s an interesting guy to work with,” he said.
Perry has shown some moxie during his short stint with the Dolphins, carrying himself like he belongs in the NFL while on the practice field. However, the Tennessee native maintains the humility that defined him during his college career.
During a virtual interview with the media on Friday, Perry acknowledged the difficult adjustment to the professional ranks when asked if his head is “swimming” while trying to learn Gailey’s offense.
“It’s a different level than college obviously, so the attention to detail is much higher and I’m trying to catch on as fast as I can and hopefully it’s going well for me,” he said.
Perry admits playing slot receiver during a live NFL practice is completely different from anything he’s experienced to date.
“Just like I said, the attention to detail. Seeing things after the ball is snapped, getting in the right spot and making sure I’m where I need to be to make the play successful,” he said. “It’s just the little things right now. I’m trying to learn every day and learn from my mistakes and get better the next day.”
While it appears Perry will have to make the 53-man active roster as a slot receiver, his versatility is a plus that will factor into that decision. Many believe the 5-foot-9, 175-pound speedster could possibly be used as a third-down tailback or taking snaps in Wildcat formation.
Perry has not been asked to practice fielding punts or kickoffs so far in training camp but might eventually need to do so. He was not at all fazed by being asked to play slot receiver instead of running back. He said he “was extremely excited,” and that he’s all for “any opportunity to the field at any position.”
What certainly is not in question is Perry’s work ethic, discipline and mental focus — traits required to make it through the Naval Academy as a varsity athlete. He did not hesitate when asked if the daily demands of a service academy helped with preparation for an NFL training camp.
“I’d like to say it helped a little bit. I think my days are just as busy but filled with football and not any military stuff, so it prepared me in the aspect of having a big workload, but it’s all football, so it’s a little better in that regard,” Perry said.
Miami head coach Brian Flores has also been impressed with Perry, who caught a 69-yard touchdown pass from Tagovailoa off a go route during Monday morning’s session.