He was one-half of the true freshmen duo forced into action at inside linebacker; however, he performed well considering the situation.
In his arrival to Alabama from University Lab School (Baton Rouge, La.), one could only imagine the anxiety of Christian Harris – upon him understanding that he would have to replace Joshua McMillion at weakside linebacker.
Despite the learning curve, fans quickly saw the four-star’s undeniable talent.
Harris’ athleticism would not allow him to be fooled twice on a play.
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Throughout last season, he displayed the ability to shoot into gaps, create havoc in the opposing team’s backfield and be at the right spot to recover fumbles. Nick Saban referred to him as a conscientious player, yet the Crimson Tide’s head football coach also saw the quickness of Harris make up for moments where he probably was not in the right place at the start of a sequence.
Overall, he was Alabama’s fourth-leading tackler (63) and had 7.5 stops for loss, five quarterback hurries, one pass breakup and one forced fumble.
Harris was named to the All-Freshman Team for the Southeastern Conference and Freshman All-America teams, according to ESPN and USA Today. With the return of Dylan Moses, people see Harris as the perfect wingman in coverage.
As a former high school safety and receiver, Harris’ footwork and hands could rival Lyndell “Mack” Wilson. The Montgomery (Ala.) totaled four interceptions in 2017 and finished his career with six picks – en route to getting drafted by the Browns in 2019.
In preparing for his sophomore campaign, Harris released a hype video on Saturday.
— Christian Harris (@Charris_36) March 21, 2020
Another year with Pete Golding and having the duo of David Ballou and Dr. Matt Rhea should develop him into a machine.
The potential of two Louisiana natives in the middle of the Tide’s defense will create fear for the LSU Tigers in the fall.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
