Wake Forest WR A.T. Perry selected by New Orleans Saints with 195th overall pick in 2023 NFL Draft

KANSAS CITY, MO – Wake Forest wide receiver A.T. Perry became a member of the New Orleans Saints as its 6th round, 195th overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft.

Perry joins Kobie Turner as Demon Deacons selected in this year’s draft.

“After the season, going into training, I took every day seriously,” Perry said on his Pro Day. “[I] came here and worked, put 110% effort into everything. Went to the combine and it paid off.”

At the NFL Combine, Perry made a name for himself with a 4.47 40-yard dash, along with an 81 production score by Next Gen Stats, good for fifth out of combine receivers.

“He makes the game look really easy,” an NFC regional scout told NFL.com. “I think you just have to live with the drops and focus on what he’s really good at.”

According to a draft analysis by NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein, Perry is “crafty but physical in the early stages of the route and flashes the ability to become a more dangerous route runner,” who “has the tools to work all three levels of the field.” Zierlein projected Perry as a third-round pick and compared him to Devante Parker.

Isaiah De Los Santos of Fanduel also called Perry “a steal if he falls to the right team.”

After redshirting his first year for head coach Dave Clawson, Perry didn’t see the field often in 2019 and caught 15 passes for 211 yards and a touchdown the following season.

In 2021, though, Perry caught fire as quarterback Sam Hartman’s top target with 71 catches for 1,293 yards and 15 touchdowns. In the process, Perry was a major cog in the Demon Deacons’ monumental journey to the ACC Championship.

In his last season with Wake Forest, the 6’3 ½” standout added 1,096 yards and 11 scores to cap off his prolific career.

The NFL Draft concludes Saturday afternoon with the remainder of the sixth and seventh rounds. Wake Forest’s Blake Whiteheart is also expected to be selected.