Denzel Perryman was born and raised in the Miami area where he attended Coral Gables High School.
As a junior, Perryman was named the Area Defensive Player of the Year after accumulating 166 tackles, nine sacks, and six interceptions. He followed up that stellar season with an even better one, totaling 177 stops, 12 for loss, nine sacks, and nine interceptions with five of them being returned for touchdowns.
Perryman chose to stay close to home and attend the University of Miami. He earned playing immediately and his first starts of his career, notching eight in 12 games.