Denzel Perryman was the Chargers’ leading tackler in 2016.

Denzel Perryman was the Chargers’ leading tackler in 2016. He turned in one of his best performances of the season during a 33-30 overtime win in Atlanta in October. Playing thru a nagging shoulder injury, Perryman helped set up a late fourth-quarter game-tying field goal with his first NFL interception. Then in overtime, a tackle for loss on 4th-and-one set up the Bolts’ game-winning field goal drive. The performance earned Perryman AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors.

A former second-round pick out of Miami, Perryman has 175 tackles just two seasons into his NFL career. As a rookie in 2015, Perryman finished second on the team with 95 stops. He racked up 79 tackles in the team’s last seven games and fell just five tackles shy of becoming the first rookie in team history to record a 100-tackle season.

Perryman comes from a family of football players. His father, Desmond Sr., played linebacker and fullback at Perryman’s alma mater, Coral Gables High School. Perryman’s two older brothers, Quintero and Desmond Jr., both played at Coral Gables as well before playing at Rutgers and North Carolina Methodist, respectively. And Perryman’s younger brother, Derrius, is currently playing at Coral Gables.

Perryman has two daughters – Ella and Evee.

TRANSACTION HISTORY: Second-round pick (48th overall) by Chargers, May 1, 2015...signed May 13.

2017: Placed on injured reserve on Sept. 4 to open the season after suffering an ankle injury in the first preseason game vs. Seattle (Aug. 13)…Began practicing after being designated for return on Oct. 18…Activated on Nov. 7…Appeared in seven games with six starts and was inactive another…Posted 51 tackles (29 solo), two tackles for loss, two passes defensed and a fumble recovery…at Jacksonville (Nov. 12): Returned from injury to start at ILB, playing 46 defensive snaps…Led the team with 11 tackles (eight solo), a tackle for loss and a pass defensed…Made his first stop of the season five minutes into the game, tackling RB Leonard Fournette for no gain on an off-tackle run…vs. Buffalo (Nov. 19): Started at OLB, finishing with five tackles (three solo) on 44 defensive plays…at Dallas (Nov. 23): Started at OLB and played 50 snaps on defense…Totaled six tackles (four solo)…vs. Cleveland (Dec. 3): Opened the game at OLB and played 57 snaps on defense…Recovered the first fumble of his career and registered 10 tackles (three solo), including a tackle for loss…Recovered the fumble forced by DE Joey Bosa on a strip-sack in the fourth quarter…vs. Washington (Dec. 10): Started the 25th game of his career at ILB, finishing with 10 tackles (four solo)…It marked back-to-back 10-tackle games…Appeared on 39 plays on defense…at Kansas City (Dec. 16): Started at OLB and played 23 defensive snaps…Assisted on two tackles before departing with a hamstring injury…at New York Jets (Dec. 24): Inactive (hamstring)…vs. Oakland (Dec. 31): Appeared on 15 defensive snaps, finishing with four solo tackles and a pass defensed.

2016: Second-quarter three-yard sack vs. Andrew Luck on 3rd-and-1 to force field goal try Sept. 25 at Indianapolis...paced squad with 10 tackles vs. Colts...injured shoulder early second quarter vs. New Orleans and did not return...inactive (shoulder) Oct. 9 at Oakland...very key tackle for loss in Oct. 13 win vs. Denver...after mis-handled punt gave Denver possession at Chargers’ 11 in 10-0 game, recorded four-yard tackle for loss on first down to help hold Broncos to field goal try as Chargers maintained 10-3 advantage...playing thru nagging shoulder injury, made perhaps two biggest plays of game in 33-30 OT win at Atlanta Oct. 23 to earn AFC Defensive Player of Week and Castrol Edge Clutch Peformer of Week honors...helped set up late fourth-quarter game-tying FG with first interception of career...came on 1st-and-20 play at Falcons’ 35...then in OT, set up game-winning FG with one-yard tackle for loss on 4th-and-1 at Falcons’ own 45...injured hamstring first half Oct. 30 at Denver and did not return...inactive Nov. 6 vs. Tennessee and Nov. 13 vs. Miami (hamstring)...returned from hamstring injury in 21-13 win at Houston Nov. 27 with 10-tackle effort followed by team-high 12-tackle effort Dec. 4 vs. Tampa Bay...Team Captain Dec. 18 vs. Oakland...injured knee early fourth quarter Dec. 24 at Cleveland and did not return...prior to being hurt, logged five-yard sack along with tackle for loss...inactive Jan. 1 vs. Kansas City (knee).

2015: Five special teams tackles Sept. 20 at Cincinnati, most in game by Chargers player since 2011...first NFL start Oct. 18 at Green Bay’s Lambeau Field and led team with nine tackles...injured arm in first quarter Oct. 25 vs. Oakland and did not return...inactive Nov. 1 at Baltimore and Nov. 9 vs. Chicago (arm)...helped force early fourth-quarter three-and-out with 14-yard sack on 2nd-and-7 Nov. 22 vs. Kansas City...12 tackles in 31-25 win at Jacksonville Nov. 29...early-game tackle for loss contributed to three-and-out and Bolts scored touchdown on ensuing possession for first lead of game...paced squad with 15 tackles Dec. 6 vs. Denver...two tackles for loss among team-high nine tackles Dec. 13 at Kansas City...led team with 15 tackles, including nine-yard sack in first quarter, Dec. 24 at Oakland...paced squad with 12 tackles Jan. 3 at Denver.

COLLEGE: Associated Press third-team All-America as senior...honorable mention by SI.com as junior...three-time All-ACC pick – first-team as junior and senior and honorable mention as sophomore...Defensive MVP and UM Hard Hitter Award as junior...ACC Linebacker of Week after 21-16 win over No. 12 Florida in 2013...led team in tackles as junior and senior, and led ACC freshmen in tackles in 2011 as true freshman...finished career with 351 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 27 tackles for loss, seven forced fumbles and two interceptions...sociology major.

PERSONAL: Born in Miami, Fla. ...area defensive player of year as junior at Coral Gables (Fla.) High.