The New York Giants are showing interest in many of the 2022 NFL Draft class’s top linebacker prospects. New York has shown interest in mid-round prospects like Chad Muma and Leo Chenal. Adding to that list, the Giants are showing interest in mid-round Alabama linebacker Christian Harris.
According to Jordan Schultz, the Giants had a top-30 visit with Christian Harris out of Alabama. Christian Harris is a physical run-defending linebacker that the Giants could target in the middle rounds of this year’s draft.
What could Christian Harris bring to the Giants?
Christian Harris is an incredibly athletic linebacker prospect. Harris is undersized but makes up for it with athleticism. His relative athletic score (RAS) was 9.07. Harris’s score was boosted by his elite 40-yard dash time (4.44s). Christian Harris is fast, agile, and explosive, despite being undersized for the linebacker position. He stands in at only 6-foot-one, 226 pounds. But Harris is known for playing larger than he stands.
The Draft Network describes Christian Harris as “a physical presence that can deliver physical blows to ball-carriers.” Harris is a real thumper in the running game, but he also makes an impact as a pass-rusher. According to PFF, Christian Harris ranks third amongst SEC Linebackers with the most QB pressures since 2014 with 56 total.
Christian Harris started for Alabama since his true freshman year. As a three-year starter, Harris strung together three productive seasons in his college career. His tackle, sack, and tackle for loss totals increased every year. As a junior in 2021, Christian Harris recorded 80 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks.
TDN projects Harris’s ideal role as “a space linebacker that is responsible for making tackles in space and covering TEs and RBs out of the backfield.” If drafted by the Giants, Christian Harris would be a capable secondary linebacker to play alongside Blake Martinez.
Where Christian Harris needs to improve, however, is in coverage. According to PFF, Harris allowed nearly 1,000 yards in coverage over the past two seasons. In year one, the Giants would likely utilize Christian Harris as run-defender and rotational pass-rusher. His usage will likely be limited to two downs. Christian Harris has some incredible athletic ability that could make him an intriguing prospect for the New York Giants to draft and develop in their defense.