Auburn DL Marcus Harris drafted No. 247 overall to the Houston Texans
Multi-year starter on the defensive line for Auburn, Marcus Harris, has been drafted in the 7th round by the Houston Texans. Harris is the 247th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
As a recruit
On3 Industry Ranking (2019 Recruiting Class): No. 1,790 nationally, No. 163 Edge, No. 68 Alabama
Harris was an under-the-radar recruit from Montgomery (Ala.) Park Crossing. Harris had offers from Southern Miss, Tulane, South Alabama, Liberty Washington State, and Kansas. He signed with the Jayhawks out of high school before ultimately transferring to Auburn to be closer to home.
Harris at Auburn
Harris tallied 126 tackles, 31 tackles for 11 sacks during his five years in college — two at Kansas and three at Auburn. All but 27 tackles and seven tackles for loss came while Harris was with the Tigers. Harris’ best season came in 2023, recording 40 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and seven sacks. He also forced a fumble and recovered a fumble during the season.
Two of Harris’ best games came against two of the premier programs in the country. Against Alabama in 2021, he had four tackles, two tackles for loss and one sack. And against Georgia this past season, Harris had a career-high seven tackles and two tackles for loss.
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PFF Grades/NFL Combine
Pro Football Focus graded Harris the No 19 overall defensive lineman during the 2023 season and the top-graded interior defensive lineman in the SEC, if you exclude Texas. PFF graded Harris as the No. 11 defender against the rush last season, first in the SEC.
Harris attended the NFL Combine and ran a 5.06 40-yard dash, jumped 29.5″ on the vertical jump and did 27 reps on the bench press. Harris measured in at 6-foot-2 and 286 pounds.
Strengths and weaknesses
SCOUTING REPORT: STRENGTHS
- Displays excellent quickness off the snap, effectively shooting gaps and disrupting plays early.
- Maintains good body control and strength against the run, capable of securing single-gap duties.
- Demonstrates a high motor and relentless pursuit of the play, often outlasting his blockers.
- Uses skilled hands and clever techniques to disengage from blockers and make impactful plays.
- Capable of resetting the line of scrimmage with his power, occasionally overpowering his opponents.
- Shows agility and flexibility to adapt on the line, whether in lateral movements or in penetrating gaps.
- Leverages his low center of gravity to maximize contact balance and maintain leverage against larger opponents.
- Instinctual playmaker with a natural ability to navigate through traffic and locate the football.
SCOUTING REPORT: WEAKNESSES
- Shorter arm length limits his ability to extend and control engagements, often leading to close-quarter battles.
- Can be moved by double teams or powerful single blockers, struggling to hold his position.
- Lacks a diverse pass-rush repertoire, needing to develop more finesse moves to succeed at the professional level.
- Not always gap-disciplined, occasionally abandoning his assignment prematurely to pursue the play.
- Size and build could limit effectiveness against the NFL’s larger and more powerful offensive linemen.
