When Eric Perkins visited UTEP for the Orange and Blue Game on Apr. 12, the Miners' staff wanted him to commit... badly.

Perkins didn't commit that day. But as it would turn out, UTEP wouldn't have to wait too terribly long to add him to the 2026 class. Four days after his trip out to the Sun City, Perkins called the staff and told them that he was ready to give his verbal pledge to the Miners. He went public with his commitment the next day.

“It took a couple extra days for [the decision]," Perkins told Rivals. "But when I kept playing it back in my head how Coach Walden and especially Coach Stanchek was rocking with me, it came to me [that] this may be the place for me. So after talking it over with my folks, they felt the same.”

So why UTEP for Perkins, who also held an offer from UTSA and was on plenty of Power 4 radars?

“They made me feel wanted," he remarked. "Coach Stanchek is ready to develop me and give me a chance to be great; that’s what I’m looking for. Coach Walden has a vision to make UTEP tops in the Mountain West. I feel I have a chance to help with that. I know I’m a dog and I’m ready to show it. I’ve only allowed one sack in three years on varsity.”

At 6-foot-6 and 320 pounds, Perkins represents one absolutely enormous bookend for UTEP in the 2026 class... and in fact, the Miners already have the other bookend in place. Three-star Seminole (Texas) OT Chase Elrod had committed shortly after the Orange and Blue Game on Saturday, so to this point, two of UTEP's four commits in the 2026 cycle are offensive tackles.

For Perkins, UTEP made sense on paper. Ultimately, though, he had to decide for himself that it wasn't just the right place, but the right time as well. Though it's early, he felt comfortable enough in his choice that he didn't need to prolong the process any further.

“I’ve been on varsity since I was 14," he explained. "I’ve been to camps every summer and toured schools. Coaches have come to my school to visit me quite a bit. When Coach King and Coach Walden came by, I felt they may have faith in me, but I’ve heard a lot of that before. When I went out to UTEP and the plan for me was laid out and I understood it, I said why wait? Let me ride with who is riding with me.”

With the addition of Perkins, UTEP currently holds the No. 2 class in Conference USA. The Miners trail only Louisiana Tech, which holds six early commitments in the 2026 cycle.

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