With the 22nd pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, the Miami Dolphins selected Charles Harris out of the University of Missouri.
Harris is one of the players who has been rising up the draft boards across the country since the end of the college football season. Harris was a standout at the University of Missouri throughout his last two seasons, earning second-team All-SEC honors in each of the campaigns.
Looking at his tape, it is easy to understand why teams are high on him. Harris has the perfect body type for an edge rusher, especially if he gets plugged in as an outside linebacker during passing situations. At 253 pounds, he has enough weight to hold the edge on a running play but yet enough athleticism to get around the corner when attacking the quarterback.
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 253
40-time: 4.82
Bench: 21 reps
Vertical: 32”
Broad: 109”
3-cone: 7.47
The guess here is that Harris is not a three-down player right away. instead getting most of his snaps as a pass-rusher on later downs. He still needs to understand technique against the run a bit better, something that will come as he becomes more comfortable with scheme.
At the combine, Harris showed solid speed with a 4.82 40-yard dash and decent strength with 21 reps. This is a kid that has a high ceiling and could become one of the better finds in the 2017 class.
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Harris will have a great mentor in the aging Cameron Wake, who can still get the job done. The Dolphins have one of the nastiest defensive lines in the league, with Ndamukong Suh and Wake leading the way.