INDIANAPOLIS – Instinctive, athletic, aggressive and hard hitting, Texans linebacker Christian Harris emerged as a force on defense in his first season playing for DeMeco Ryans.
One of the fastest linebackers in the NFL with a 4.44 in the 40-yard dash, Harris plays the game with a nasty streak.
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Harris recorded a career-high 101 tackles last season for the AFC South champions while learning from Ryans, a former Alabama linebacker like his protege.
“Sky’s the limit for Christian,” Ryans said at the NFL scouting combine. “Christian is one of the fastest linebackers that I’ve had a chance to work with. Very explosive, instinctive player. I’m excited. I see last year was Christian’s rookie year. That was his first year and I’m excited to see him build off of what he did last year.”
Harris became the seventh player in NFL history to record a pick-six for a touchdown and record a sack in the same playoff game since Texans defensive end J.J. Watt against the Cincinnati Bengals in 2012. He had eight tackles, two for losses, a 36-yard return for a touchdown of a Joe Flacco interception against the Cleveland Browns in a playoff victory. He had seven more tackles, one for a loss and pressured Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson repeatedly during an AFC divisional round loss..
Harris displayed growth during the second half of the season with his playing time and productivity both on an upward trend.
He recorded a dozen tackles in the Texans’ 23-19 win over the Indianapolis Colts that led to them winning an AFC South division title as they clinched a berth in the playoffs.
Following a slow start to the season, Harris had two sacks, one forced fumble and seven tackles for losses while playing 755 defensive plays for 71 percent of the total defensive snaps during the regular season.
“Christian has truly developed all throughout the entire year,” saiRyans, a retired two-time Pro Bowl linebacker. “He’s gotten better each week. He’s become more comfortable with what we’re asking him to do. He’s playing much faster. He’s playing physical, he’s playing mean. I love his tenacity out on the field. I think when it comes to playing ability in the passing game, he’s making plays there.
“Whether it’s sacks, getting after the quarterback or attacking the ball when he’s in coverage, but also the way he’s tackling, the physical nature of his tackling, it’s grown, and he’s done a really great job of making impact plays for us. I’m very proud of Christian to see his growth throughout the entire year, see him develop into a quality starting linebacker making plays for us.”
The third-round draft pick from Alabama recorded 74 tackles, one interception and a sack in 12 games and 11 starts after being activated from injured reserve as a rookie. Harris is incredibly fast for a linebacker, and the Texans are excited about his present and future.
“I would just say that there’s been a consistent growth from him throughout the course of the season, and a guy that’s been able to stay relatively healthy and get all those reps and bank a lot of playing time,” Texans defensive coordinator Matt Burke said. “I would just say the last four to six weeks specifically, you just sort of see that. I feel like it’s been a culmination of his body of work and his growth throughout the whole year from when we first got here.
“He’s such a consistent worker, and always in it, always wanting to get better and ask questions, and I think it’s just that the more he’s played and the more reps he’s gotten and he’s sort of grown into that role for him, it’s been really cool to see him and his growth, and I would definitely say probably in the last month, he’s kind of been on a nice little run.”
Harris intercepted a pass as a rookie against the Tennessee Titans.
Harris shares an alma mater with Ryans, a former Texans second-round draft pick and NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Ryans, a former defensive coordinator and linebackers coach with the San Francisco 49ers, had a lot of success developing linebackers, including All-Pro Fred Warner, a former third-round draft pick in San Francisco, and Dre Greenlaw.
Tackling remains a point of emphasis for Harris, a 6-foot-2, 232-pounder from Baton Rouge, Ala.
“Honestly, just run through contact,” said Harris, who credited Crimson Tide defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach Pete Golding for his fundamental approach. “It’s habit. That’s what coach Pete taught me at ‘Bama. Your feet go dead at contact, and you’ll have no power.”
Harris’ tackling improved significantly since a rough start against the Las Vegas Raiders in his first NFL game.
Harris’ last college game was the national championship game for the Crimson Tide, recording three sacks, four tackles for losses and a forced fumble in a loss to Georgia.
Signed to a four-year, $5.34 million contract that includes a $1.069 million signing bonus, Harris turned heads last season with his ability to run and diagnose plays.
Harris comes from a track background. From an early age, he was running sprints under the watchful eyes of his parents, Jefferson Harris and Ramona Harris.
“I’ve been running track since when I was like 5,” Harris said. “My parents were coaches on that team. I had lot of that to boost my speed up.”
Harris is a man in constant motion at NRG Stadium. He doesn’t waste time and uses the training facility to focus on his recovery from practice and workouts. That includes a routine of massages, stretching, cold tubs and soft-tissue therapy.
“I try to keep my body fresh and recovering as fast as I can,” Harris said. “I don’t know everything yet. I try stuff out.”
Harris wants to continue to get stronger, stay fast and work on his hands to intercept more passes.
“I want to maintain that speed,” he said. “Probably work on my hands a little more in coverage and keep my pad level low at the point of contact.”
Harris’ parents are a fixture at Texans home and road games, following their son’s career just as they did at powerhouse Alabama.
“It’s everything to have them come to the games and experience it,” said Harris, who’s represented by veteran NFL agents Rick Roberts, Martin Fischman, Donald Weatherell and other staff members at Ballengee Football. “That means a lot.”
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com