Alabama linebacker Christian Harris’ final collegiate game was arguably his best one. A former blue-chip recruit from Baton Rouge, La., Harris recorded 3 sacks, 4 tackles for a loss, and a forced fumble in the loss to Georgia in the CFP National Championship. Since that game and declaring early for the NFL Draft, the versatile sideline-to-sideline linebacker and converted safety has maintained a busy schedule.
Harris has visited the Washington Commanders, Buffalo Bills, Philadelphia Eagles, Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Giants, and New Orleans Saints while being requested by a total of 18 teams for visits (private meetings or virtual meetings), according to a league source. Among the teams he’s met with virtually: the Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears.
Christian Harris aced the Combine, has a high RAS score
At 6-foot, 226 pounds, Harris aced the NFL Scouting Combine, where he met with multiple teams, including the Pittsburgh Steelers. Additionally, he has a 9.05 Relative Athletic Score, an analytics grade comparing testing performance. Harris ran the 40-yard dash in 4.44 seconds with a 1.53 10-yard split and a 34 1/2 inch vertical leap.
Last season for the Crimson Tide, Harris had 80 tackles, including 12.5 tackles for losses, with 5.5 sacks. He also had 2 forced fumbles and was a semifinalist for the Butkus and Lombardi awards.
Two seasons ago, Harris earned the starting job at WILL linebacker and had 79 tackles, 7 for loss, and 4.5 sacks with 1 interception. He was a freshman All-American and freshman All-Southeastern Conference selection who had 63 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, 2 fumble recoveries, and 1 forced fumble.
“The mindset, competitive mindset, coming from a program where that is what we build off of, the players I played with, really helped with that,” Harris said in Indianapolis. “We had to come to practice every day and compete. It goes to show how much of a competitor I really am. I want to compete every day. That is what they can expect from me.
“The grind every single day, treat it like a business because that is what it is. You expect it to be hard. You don’t expect nothing to be easy. The competitive mindset. It has to come naturally. It is hard to coach that.”
An All-State and All-American selection who played wide receiver, cornerback, safety, outside linebacker, and returned kicks, Harris’ team won 26 consecutive games during his junior and senior years. He chose Alabama over competing scholarship offers from Auburn, Arkansas, LSU, and Texas A&M.
“A lot of those things come natural,” Harris said. “I have been playing corner since high school. My little league years I was playing safety. So a lot of things, knowing where to put my eyes and play the ball come natural. It does give me an advantage over a lot of guys because it comes natural.
“I just want them to know I am not just an inside linebacker. I have definitely developed my knowledge of the game. I know everybody’s spot. I can communicate. I can play fast. I can get guys lined up. I can be a leader on the defense.”