Alabama running back Damien Harris has made the surprising decision to bypass the 2018 NFL Draft and stay in school.
The deadline to declare for the 2018 NFL Draft (Jan. 19) is coming up soon, and as of Wednesday, more than 90 college football players have announced their intentions to leave school early. With the season now officially over, several big names and key contributors from College Football Playoff teams are currently evaluating whether or not to stay in school or move on to a professional career.
One of the best players in the nation, Alabama running back Damien Harris, has reportedly made a decision. According to Matt Zenitz of AL.com, Harris will return to Tuscaloosa for his senior season.
Harris’ decision came as a surprise to many. Listed at 5-foot-11 and 221 pounds, Harris has an NFL frame, as well as the skillset to attract attention from pro scouts. Running with both speed and power, and with added athleticism that helped him fly into the end zone often in short yardage and goal line situations, Harris has put together an impressive collegiate career.
In three seasons with the Crimson Tide, Harris has 2,197 rushing yards and 14 rushing touchdowns on 326 carries (an average of 6.74 yards per attempt). The Kentucky native gained 1,000 yards on the ground with 11 TDs (and a 7.4-yard average) as a junior after rushing for 1,040 yards and two scores while averaging 7.2 yards per carry as a sophomore in 2016. He surpassed 100 yards in three separate games in 2017 and showed breakaway speed with three TD runs of 60 yards or more – all of which came against SEC defenses.
But more than just the stats and measurables on his résumé, Harris has accomplished just about everything a college player could hope to achieve from a team perspective. After helping the Crimson Tide to a 26-23 overtime victory over Georgia in the CFP National Championship Game, Harris has been part of two national title-winning teams. He has also won two SEC titles. Unlike Nick Chubb and Sony Michel, who returned to Georgia and helped elevate the program to title contention, Harris has helped the Tide win plenty of hardware.
But, perhaps Harris feels he has more to prove individually. Harris has often been overlooked throughout his career and was often seen as the second-best NFL prospect in the Alabama backfield behind Bo Scarbrough, splitting carries the last two seasons. Also, while running for just 17 yards on six carries Monday night, Harris found himself on the sidelines watching true freshman Najee Harris take the majority of the snaps and carries in the second half against the Bulldogs.
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With two 1,000-yard seasons already under his belt, it’s reasonable to think Harris could be a Heisman Trophy candidate in 2018 if he’s the Tide’s featured ball carrier. But even if he shares carries again, Harris will likely be selected in the 2019 NFL Draft.