As we continue our series looking at Georgia’s early enrollees, we turn our attention to cornerback AJ Harris.
You can always count on head coach Kirby Smart to go heavy when it comes to recruiting the secondary, and in Harris, he came away with one of the best cornerbacks around.
In fact, not only did Rivals consider Harris the No. 31 overall prospect, but he also came in as the No. 5 prospect in neighboring Alabama.
For more on Harris:
AJ Harris
Height: 6-1
Weight: 190
Position: Cornerback
Ranking: No. 31 overall
High School Career
As a senior, Harris led Central High out of Phenix City to a 10-3 record and AHSAA Class 7A semifinals.
His stats were certainly impressive.
A physical defender, Harris tallied 52 tackles, including 7.5 for loss, one sack, three interceptions, and a pair of forced fumbles.
His junior year saw Harris make 31 tackles, break up three passes and force a pair of fumbles while rushing for 172 yards and five touchdowns on just 13 carries.
He also returned three punts and two kickoffs for touchdowns.
Harris chose Georgia over a host a schools, including home-state Alabama and Florida.
Quoting AJ Harris
"I give all the credit to Coach Fran (Brown). I was definitely heavy on Florida. Coach Fran, just knowing that I have somebody in the room that cares for me. Coach Smart has been real, but there’s nothing like having a position coach that’s with you every day that’s pushing you to be the best." – A.J. Harris
What They're Saying
“A big part of Georgia's success especially on defense has been because of talented and aggressive players who aren't afraid to be physical and exert their will on others. That's how Harris likes to play the cornerback spot and why he could be such a great addition to the Dawgs' secondary. The four-star is highly skilled at playing the position and doesn't get too handsy against receivers if it's not necessary but when he can jam at the line it's no problem, and he frustrates the offensive player off his route. There are a lot of other high-profile defensive backs in this class, but Harris' abilities shouldn't be forgotten just because he missed the all-star season.” – Adam Gorney, Rivals
What's Next
Harris brings a ton of versatility to Georgia’s secondary and it’s going to be interesting to see where he ultimately ends up.
With his combination of size, speed and physicality, he has the ability to play all five spots in the secondary.
Although he’s listed as a cornerback, don’t be surprised if Harris ultimately gets a look at nickel. Harris is very strong in run support but also does an excellent job in coverage.
He’ll play special teams, probably on a couple of units right away for the Bulldogs.
Bulldog fans will be hearing his name quite often, perhaps including this year.
