Jerrell Harris, the Scout.com four-star linebacker from Gadsden City High School (Ala.), finished his junior season with 130 tackles, three interceptions and two sacks.
"I'm versatile and have a nose for the football," said the 6-foot-3, 215-pounder with 4.5 forty speed. "I'm also very aggressive and can find my way to the ball. I never give up. I still want to get better at taking on blocks and hand placement and technique."
Harris, who is ranked as the No. 84 player in the nation by Scout.com, has 28 scholarship offers. He denies a leader and insists he doesn't even have a top five yet. "I won't have my top five until the season," Harris said. "I'm not in a rush, so I just want to take it slow. I'm thinking about everybody and I don't have any favorites yet."
Although he doesn't have any favorites, he's already visited (either for junior days or spring practice) Alabama, Auburn, Georgia Tech and Clemson. Harris plans on attending camps at LSU, Florida, Alabama, Auburn, South Carolina, Clemson and Tennessee. All of the schools mentioned above have offered him as well as Michigan, USC, Florida State, Georgia and several others.
Harris's first scholarship offer came from his home-state team, Alabama. "They are only about an hour and a half away from here, but that's not a factor," Harris said. "I like the new coaches and the atmosphere they've got going there. Coach Nick Saban is really cool and straightforward. They've got a good vibe going and you can sense something big is gonna happen."
The Crimson Tide's in-state rival, Auburn, is about two hours from Harris's house. "They've been a top team recently and have a lot of confidence," Harris said. "That's the big difference between them and Alabama right now. Auburn is on top and Alabama is trying to get there."
A lot of top teams are recruiting Harris very hard, but he says that USC just might be recruiting the hardest. "They are sending me a lot of mail and stay in contact a lot," Harris said. "I just love the standards that they've set. They are in the top five every year and are always recruiting the best players.
"Michigan is another school that is showing a lot of interest," he said. "They have great tradition and are always a top team.
"I want to get my education and be part of a team atmosphere," Harris said. "I want a good atmosphere and to play for good coaches. I'd like to play for a championship during my time too."
He reports a 3.2 core GPA and is taking his ACT for the first time on June 9.