Harris had a happy ending to what started out to be a troubling collegiate experience. Regarded as one of the premier prep linebackers and running backs in the nation, he was an academic non-qualifier coming out of high school. He had accepted a scholarship to the University of Miami, but in May of his senior year at Edison High School in 2002, he was arrested for his involvement in an armed robbery.

Harris admitted in court on July 11, 2002, that he was the lookout in an armed robbery, when he and two others used a gun to rob a man of his necklace, bracelet and ring while the victim was playing checkers on a street corner in the Liberty City area of Miami.

"I was being a lookout in an armed robbery," Harris says. "I never touched a gun, and I never robbed anybody. But I was on the scene and if one person gets caught, everyone gets caught. Everybody goes down with the same charge. I was just in the wrong place, wrong time with the wrong people."

A judge withheld adjudication, which meant that when Harris completed his sentence he was not required to admit the conviction on job applications in the future. In addition to the jail time and spending six months in Miami-Dade County's boot camp, Harris was ordered to spend two years under community control, followed by three years of probation.

Miami revoked its scholarship offer. But once he was admitted to Dodge Community College after his release from jail, the state suspended the community control portion of the sentence.

Harris was a two-way standout at Edison High School. He was rated the fourth-best outside linebacker prospect in the nation by Rivals.com and a member of that recruiting service's Top 100 list. He added All-County and All-State honors his last two seasons. As a senior, he received Riddell Footwear All-American first-team accolades.

As a junior 200-pound linebacker, he recorded 138 tackles and 20 quarterback sacks as he made tackles all over the field. His speed and relentless pursuit to the football is what had all of the college coaches drooling to get him in for a visit.

With his legal woes behind them, Harris set out to salvage his college career. He enrolled at Dodge City Community College in 2003, as his academics prevented him from accepting a scholarship to Louisiana State after Miami pulled its offer. The 200-pounder saw action at safety and linebacker in 2003 before playing linebacker in 2004.

He was an All-Jayhawk Community College Conference pick both seasons, adding All-American honorable mention as a sophomore. Scout.com rated him the second-best junior college linebacker in the country. Harris posted 81 tackles (50 solos) with two sacks, eight stops for losses and an interception in 2003. He added 86 tackles (57 solos) with four stops behind the line of scrimmage in 2004. He also recovered three fumbles and intercepted three passes, returning one for a score that season.

Major colleges were still hesitant to offer him a scholarship upon graduating from Dodge City. Harris took the initiative and contacted the Louisville staff in early 2005. "I called Louisville and told them I was interested in the school," he said. "They put me in on a visit, and I had a one-on-one with the head coach and all of the coaches. I said: 'That was my past. I was young. I made mistakes. I accept all the responsibility for what I did but I'm a new man now. I've changed, and I just want a second chance.' "

Harris was a reserve outside linebacker for the first two games of the 2005 season before taking over middle linebacker chores for the final 10 contests. He finished second on the team with 66 tackles (37 solos), including seven sacks and 11.5 stops for losses. He caused two fumbles, recovered another and deflected one pass, helping the team rank second in the nation in sacks registered (3.83 per game).

Harris remained at middle linebacker in 2006, starting the first five and final four contests.

He led the team with 65 tackles (38 solos), including two sacks and nine stops behind the line of scrimmage. He served as defensive co-captain, leading a unit that again ranked second nationally in sacks registered (3.46 pg) and allowed opponents just 16.31 points and 320.46 yards in total offense per game. He deflected three passes and also saw some action carrying the ball, picking up 55 yards on two attempts.

Harris started all 18 regular season games he played in at Dodge City College. He posted 167 tackles (107 solos) with 2.5 sacks for minus-30 yards and 12 stops for losses of 53 yards. He caused two fumbles and recovered four others for 11 yards in returns. He also intercepted four passes for 77 yards in returns, including a touchdown.

At Louisville, Harris started 19 of 25 games at middle linebacker. He produced 131 tackles (75 solos) with a pair of forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. He totaled 20.5 stops for losses of 99 yards, including nine sacks for minus-68 yards. He deflected four passes and rushed twice for 55 yards.

Positives: Lacks ideal height, but possesses a solid build with good upper body muscle tone, knotted calves and thighs … Lacks hip fluidness, but shows good straight-line quickness and an explosive closing burst … Plays with a good motor and will not hesitate to face up to the larger blockers when working at the line … Has a good flow to the ball, especially in backside pursuit … With his quickness and lack of field instincts, he might be a better fit at weak-side linebacker than in the middle, allowing him to flow freely to the ball rather than deal with the mental aspect of making defensive calls … Shows good power behind his hits, delivering good pop on contact … When he locates the ball, he is quick to close, doing a nice job of reading hats and scraping to the ball … Downhill player who might be a little slow to read plays at times, but shows no hesitation to make the play once he sees it develop … Strong at the point of attack, but is a better tackler on the outside (plays better taking on single blocks than vs. double teams) … Adequate in-the-box player, but is best when on the move, as he has the ability to slip through and avoid blocks in pursuit … Has natural strength, but needs to play off blocks rather than taking them on, as he doesn't use his hands well to shed … Not the type to stack and control, but does have the upper body strength to collide and drag down ball carriers … Chases hard on the perimeter, but will get a bit reckless in his pursuit and out-run the play at times … Has the speed to close and make plays in front of him and shows the nimble feet to step over trash … Adequate short-area pass defender, but must be more active with his hands in attempts to reroute … Has the second gear to cover ground quickly, even when taking a wide loop off the edge to pressure the pocket … Shows good timing and a feel for the crease on the blitz and can close on the move … Does a very good job of accelerating through the holes at the line of scrimmage, but needs to get into a clear lane to be effective (gets bounced around trying to play through blocks) … Keeps his feet and shows good balance in long pursuit and has developed a good feel for taking the short path to the quarterback, as he has a good feel for slanting and angling.

Negatives: Lacks the ideal bulk to stack and control action in the middle of the line … Does not have the natural instincts to flow to the ball and while he is quick to react once he locates it, he will be slow at times to see the play develop … Struggles academically and needs more than several reps to retain plays … Has not had any off-field incidents since high school, but does need to be monitored (hard coaching is advised) … Lacks the reach to play off blocks and will get absorbed and washed out by the offensive linemen, as he doesn't show quick hand recoil or placement to counter … Needs to use his hands better in attempts to jam and reroute receivers … Lost his starting job for several games in 2006 due to his inability to play under control at times … Liability in man coverage, as his hips appear too tight and he gets too high and narrow in transition to come out of his breaks cleanly … Looks robotic in his pedal, as he fails to open his hips and will gather coming out of his breaks … Plays with reckless abandon, but doesn't have the plant-and-drive agility to recover when he out-runs the play … Struggles to turn his head and track the ball in flight … Lacks natural hands to look the ball in … Does not break down plays well and will get fooled by pump fakes and misdirection.

Compares To: JAMIE WINBORN-NFL Free Agent … Like Winborn, Harris lacks ideal size to be a stack-and-control type at the line of scrimmage. Both are best when making plays on the move, but Harris lacks an instinctive feel for the ball. While he closes in a hurry, he can be late to recognize the play. He struggles with the mental aspect of the game and might be a better fit at weak-side linebacker. However, his stiff hips make him a liability in pass coverage. He also has past off-field issues that might cause some organizations are sure to shy away from him.

For his entire collegiate career at Dodge City College and Louisville, Harris appeared in 43 games, earning 37 starts (19 at middle linebacker) … Recorded 298 tackles (182 solos) with 11.5 sacks for minus-98 yards and 32.5 stops for losses totaling 152 yards … Recovered six fumbles for 11 yards in returns and caused four others … Deflected four passes and had four interceptions for 77 yards in returns (19.3 avg), including one touchdown … Gained 55 yards on two rushing attempts (27.5 avg).

Played in all 13 games, starting the first five contests and the final four at middle linebacker … The defensive co-captain helped the Cardinals rank 19th in the nation in rush defense (104.77 ypg), 17th in scoring defense (16.31 ppg), 18th in tackles behind the line of scrimmage (7.0 per game) and second in sacks registered (3.46 pg) … Despite coming off the bench in the Cincinnati, Syracuse, West Virginia and Rutgers clashes, he still managed to lead the team with 65 tackles (38 solos) … Had two sacks for minus 13 yards and nine stops for losses of 32 yards … Recovered a fumble and deflected three passes … Also gained 55 yards on a pair of fake punts (27.5 avg).

Kentucky … Opened the season with five tackles (4 solos), including one that stopped tailback Rafael Little behind the line of scrimmage for a 1-yard loss on a run over right end at the start of the second half … Head to Head Competition-HB#22-Rafael Little-Seven runs for 21 yards.

Temple … Had just three tackles (2 solos), but one took down QB Adam Dimichele for a 3-yard loss on a bootleg early in the first quarter and another resulted in a 5-yard sack of Dimichele with 2:35 left in the first half … Head to Head Competition-HB#7-Tim Brown-14 carries for 32 yards, two catches for 23 yards.

Miami … Posted five tackles (3 solos), adding another stop on special teams, as he also deflected a pass … Recovered a fumble by tailback Charlie Jones at the UL 8 midway through the first quarter … Tackled Jones for a 1-yard loss on a run over right tackle six minutes into the second quarter … Head to Head Competition-HB#34-Charlie Jones-Eight carries for 35 yards, two catches for 8 yards.

Kansas State … Followed with two solo tackles, but also gained 39 yards on a fake punt four minutes into the second quarter … Head to Head Competition-HB#5-Thomas Clayton-15 runs for 119 yards and a touchdown, five catches for 34 yards.

Middle Tennessee State … His only tackle came when he assisted defensive tackle Amobi Okoye in taking down tailback Eugene Gross on a third-&-3 run that netted one yard … Head to Head Competition-HB#20-Eugene Gross-Thirteen carries for 50 yards, three catches for 45 yards.

Cincinnati … Replaced in the starting lineup by Lamar Myles, finishing with four tackles (2 solos) and a pass break-up.

Syracuse … Came off the bench to deliver six tackles (4 solos) with a sack and two stops for losses of 10 yards … Stopped Delone Carter for minus 2 yards on a run over right end at the start of the second quarter and sacked QB Perry Patterson for an 8-yard loss with 7:14 left in the first half … Head to Head Competition-HB#22-Curtis Brinkley-Ten carries for 35 yards, four receptions for 49 yards.

West Virginia … Made eight tackles (5 solos), including an assisted hit on special teams and had two stops for losses of 9 yards in reserve duty … Was beaten by tailback Steve Slaton on a 42-yard run that resulted in a touchdown after missing a tackle on the previous play that saw Darius Reynaud catch a Patrick White pass for 26 yards with 4:18 left in the first quarter … Tackled Owen Schmitt for a 6-yard loss on a screen pass at the WVU 6 three minutes into the third quarter … Head to Head Competition-HB#10-Steve Slaton-18 runs for 156 yards and a touchdown, three catches for 74 yards.

Rutgers … Continued his reserve role, gaining 16 yards on a fake punt late in the first quarter that set up Brian Brohm's 5-yard touchdown pass to Jimmy Riley … Added five tackles on defense … Head to Head Competition-HB#27-Ray Rice-22 carries for 131 yards and two touchdowns, one catch for 4 yards.

South Florida … Returned to the starting lineup, but made just three solo tackles … Head to Head Competition-HB#5-Ricky Ponton-Eleven runs for 52 yards, a 32-yard reception.

Pittsburgh … Followed with a season-high eleven tackles (7 solos) and a pass break-up … Head to Head Competition-HB#34-LaRod Stephens-Twelve carries for 57 yards and a touchdown, four catches for 49 yards.

Connecticut … Made five tackles on defense and another on special teams, taking down Andre Dixon on an 11-yard kickoff return at the start of the game, as Connecticut was penalized for an illegal block on Harris that was executed by Cody Brown … Also stopped Donald Brown for a 3-yard loss on a run off left end at the start of the fourth quarter … Head to Head Competition-HB#34-Donald Brown II-21 attempts for 122 yards.

Wake Forest (Orange Bowl) … Closed out his career with seven tackles (4 solos), including one that stopped fullback Richard Belton on a third-&-11 run that netted 10 yards, forcing the Demons to punt with 10:22 left in the game … Head to Head Competition-HB#21-Kenneth Moore-Twelve runs for 73 yards, two catches for 25 yards.

Played in every game, starting the final ten contests at middle linebacker in his first season at Louisville … Ranked second on the team with 66 tackles (37 solos), seven sacks for minus 55 yards and 11.5 stops for losses of 67 yards … Deflected one pass, caused two fumbles and recovered another … Helped the team rank second in the nation in sacks registered (3.83 per game) and sixth for tackles for losses (8.67 pg).

South Florida … In his first game as a starter for the Cardinals, he responded with ten tackles (5 solos).

Florida Atlantic … Added six tackles (5 solos), causing a fumble when he sacked QB Danny Embrick for a 9-yard loss.

West Virginia … Collected seven tackles (6 assists).

Cincinnati … Followed with ten tackles (4 solos) and three stops for minus 11 yards, including an 8-yard sack of QB Dustin Grutza.

Pittsburgh … Registered three tackles with two stops for losses of 7 yards.

Connecticut … Posted a season-high thirteen tackles (8 solos) as he sacked QB D.J. Hernandez three times for minus 20 yards, including a 4-yard sack with 5:13 left in the third quarter that caused a fumble that defensive tackle Amobi Okoye recovered to set up a Louisville 38-yard field goal.

Virginia Tech (Gator Bowl) … Sacked QB Marcus Vick twice for minus 18 yards and delivered four tackles (3 solos).

No injuries reported.

Campus: 4.55 in the 40-yard dash … 425-pound bench press … Bench presses 225 pounds 26 times … 485-pound back squat … 264-pound hang clean … 33-inch vertical jump … 31 1/2-inch arm length … 9 1/2-inch hands … Left-handed … 11/26 Wonderlic score.

Combine: 4.60 40-yard dash … Lifted 225 pounds 22 times … 32-inch vertical … 8'11" broad jump … 4.52 20-yard shuttle, 11.67 60-yard shuttle … 7.19 three cone drill.

Arrested in May 2002 with two others for armed robbery. Harris admitted in court on July 11, 2002, that he was the lookout in an armed robbery, when he and two others used a gun to rob a man of his necklace, bracelet and ring while the victim was playing checkers on a street corner in the Liberty City area of Miami.

A judge withheld adjudication, which meant that when Harris completed his sentence he was not required to admit the conviction on job applications in the future. In addition to the jail time and spending six months in Miami-Dade County's boot camp, Harris was ordered to spend two years under community control, followed by three years of probation.

Two-year starter at Dodge City (Kan.) Community College (2003-04) … Twice earned All-Jayhawk Community College Conference honors … Added All-American honorable mention from J.C. Gridwire in 2004 … Rated the second-best junior college linebacker by Scout.com.

2004 Season … Registered 86 tackles (57 solos) with an assisted sack for minus-8 yards and four stops for losses of 16 yards … Caused a fumble and recovered three others for seven yards in returns … Also gained 77 yards with a touchdown on three interceptions … Had 12 tackles in each of the Coffeyville and Independence games.

2003 Season … In nine regular season games, Harris saw action at strong safety and outside linebacker … Finished with 81 tackles (50 solos), two sacks for minus-22 yards and eight stops for losses of 37 yards … Recovered a fumble and caused another … Made 11 tackles with an interception against Fort Scott.

Attended Edison (Miami, Fla.) High School, playing football for head coach Larry Bell …

Was a two-way standout as a linebacker and running back … Rated the fourth-best outside linebacker prospect in the nation by Rival.com and a member of that recruiting service's Top 100 list … Added All-County and All-State honors his last two seasons … As a senior, he received Riddell Footwear All-American first-team accolades … Rated the 74th-best overall high school prospect in the nation by Scout.com … As a junior 200-pound linebacker, he recorded 138 tackles and 20 quarterback sacks as he made tackles all over the field.

Justice Administration major … Born 3/08/83 … Resides in Miami, Florida.