Fresno State Athletics
2021 Football Roster
Roster
David Perales
- Position:
- DE
- Height:
- 6-3
- Weight:
- 246
- Class:
- Senior
- Hometown:
- Merced, Calif.
- High School:
- Merced HS
- Prev School:
- Sacramento State
Last Updated: Jan. 11, 2023
CAREER NUMBERS IN THE RECORD BOOKS:
- Sacks: 22.5 - 6th All-Time
2022 (SENIOR*): First team All-Mountain West defensive lineman … Phil Steele second team All-MW … Phil Steele honorable mention All-American … started in 13 of 14 games played … led the defensive line with 47 tackles … had a single season career-high 16.0 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks … added two forced fumbles, one interception, six quarterback hurries and five broken up passes … became the first Bulldog defensive lineman to grab an interception since 2018 … his 16.0 TFLs are the most in a season by a Bulldog since 2015 … his 11.5 sacks are the most in a season by a Bulldog since 2001 … ranked No. 7 in the FBS in sacks … had a career-high 5.0 TFLs and 4.0 sacks against San Jose State (Oct. 15) … had the most sacks in a game (4.0) by any Mountain West player this season and the second-most in a game among all FBS players this season … it was the most sacks in a game by a Bulldog since at least 2000, and the most by any MW player since the 2019 season … had the most TFLs in a game (5.0) by any MW player this season and the second-most in a game by any FBS player … his 16.0 tackles for loss are the fifth-most by a player in program history … his 11.5 sacks are the fifth-most by a player in program history … led the team in tackles once this season - six tackles at Nevada (Nov. 19) … led the Mountain West in sacks … had the second-most tackles for loss among all MW players … was selected as a defensive team captain in 13 games this season … was named the MW Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 17 … preseason honors included: second team All-MW defensive lineman by Phil Steele and Athlon Sports, and an addition to the Shrine Bowl 1000 … was named to the preseason watch list for the Rotary Lombardi Award ... MW scholar athlete ... Fall Academic All-MW.
*Utilized the additional year of eligibility approved by the NCAA in the fall of 2020. The NCAA approved a blanket waiver for all 2020 fall sports student-athletes to retain a year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2021 (SENIOR): All-Mountain West second team defensive end … played in all 13 games, and started 12 … had 45 tackles (21 solo), 13.5 tackles for a loss, seven sacks, three forced fumbles, three quarterback hurries, and one broken up pass … was fourth on the team in tackles … second on the team in tackles for loss … ranked No. 8 in the Mountain West, averaging 1.0 tackles for loss per game … was the team’s sack leader … had a career-high seven tackles at then-No. 21 San Diego State (Oct. 30) … had at least one tackle in each game … had a career-high 2.5 tackles for loss against Nevada (Oct. 23), the top offense in the Mountain West this season … had a six-game span with at least 1.0 tackle for loss … had a career-high 2.0 sacks against Nevada … had forced fumbles against Hawai’i (Oct. 2), Nevada (Oct. 23) and San Jose State (Nov. 25) … ranked No. 4 in forced fumbles and No. 9 in forced fumbles per game in the Mountain West … added a broken up pass against the Spartans … voted a team captain … part of a Bulldog defense who only allowed 20.5 points per game this season, while also holding two opponents scoreless. It was the first time since 2017 that a Fresno State team had multiple shutouts in a season … helped Fresno State to two wins over ranked opponents, both on the road. It was the first time Fresno State defeated two Top 25 opponents in a season for the first time since 2004, and the first time both wins came on the road in the 100 year history of the program.
2020 (R-JUNIOR): Second team All-Mountain West defensive end … led the Mountain West in forced fumbles (4) … was No. 3 in the NCAA in forced fumbles … second in the conference and No. 12 in the NCAA in fumbles recovered (2/0.33 avg.) … sixth in the MW and No. 28 in the FBS in tackles for loss (9.0) … ranked No. 30 in the NCAA in sacks per game ... started all six games for the Bulldogs … was second on the team with 28 tackles, 19 solo stops … had a team-high 9.0 TFL for a loss of 30 yards … was second on the team with 4.0 sacks for a loss of 22 yards … had a team-best four forced fumbles … also added two fumble recoveries … Perales forced a fumble in four straight games (Oct. 29-Dec. 5), it was the first time a Bulldog has done that in at least 20 years … against Colorado State (Oct. 29), Perales forced a fumble and recovered a fumble, the first time a Bulldog did both in the same game since Evan Williams against Nevada on Nov. 23, 2019 ... he performed this feat again at Utah State (Nov. 14), but this time he recovered his own forced fumble, the first Bulldog to do that since Jasad Haynes against Idaho on Sept. 1, 2018 … had a season-best seven tackles at UNLV (Nov. 7) … he added 2.0 TFL, 1.0 sack, and a forced fumble versus the Rebels … had a season-high 2.5 TFL at Nevada (dec. 5) … was the team’s Defensive Power Player of the Game twice, after Colorado State (Oct. 29) and following Nevada (Dec. 5) … was the team’s Co-Defensive Power Player of the Game versus Utah State (Nov. 14) … Phil Steele All-Mountain West second team selection ... named to the Fall Academic All-Mountain West team.
2019 (JUNIOR): Sat out the season due to NCAA transfer rules.
PRIOR TO FRESNO STATE: Most recently served as a starting defensive lineman at Sacramento State in 2018 ... started all 10 games at defensive end during his first season with the Hornets…recorded 23 total tackles, including 7.5 for loss and 2.5 sacks…had a half-sack at Northern Colorado for his first career…also had sacks at Southern Utah and against North Dakota…was credited for a season high four stops at Southern Utah, which included three solos and a forced fumble…made at least one tackle in all 10 games…had a pair of TFLs at Montana and against North Dakota ... spent the 2017 season at Merced Junior College … led the team with 14 sacks in 11 games played ... had 64 tackles … recorded 10 broken up passes … had three fumble recoveries … was a defensive All-Conference selection … earned two Norcal Player of the Week honors.
HIGH SCHOOL: Attended Merced High School … recorded 156 total tackles in his two-year varsity career, averaging 6.5 tackles per game … he picked up 6.0 sacks for a loss of 64 yards as a senior … helped Merced High School to two conference titles … earned a Purple Cord for academic success … was a part of a community service group, Bears Give Back.
PERSONAL: Born in San Jose, Calif. … son of Arturo and Leticia Perales … has three brothers; Carlos, Victor and Arturo, and one sister, Marisol … favorite athlete is Bruce Irivin … is a forensic behavioral science major … chose to be a Bulldog because it was close to home and he loves the program.
