Chris Harper, the 6-foot-2, 220-pound four-star athlete (Scout.com's No. 36 running back) from Northwest High School in Wichita, Kan., finished his senior season with 950 yards passing for 10 touchdowns and a 73 percent completion percentage. He also has approximately 600 yards on the ground and nine touchdowns rushing. His team lost in the first round of the playoffs, finishing the year at 8-3.
Harper continues to deny a leader, and as previously reported, will make his announcement on Dec. 17 along with No. 1 linebacker Arthur Brown from East High School in Wichita, Kan.
"We talk probably about two or three times a week," Harper said. "We're friends and he's got so many great choices. He can't make a bad decision. I think for a while everyone thought he was gonna go to Oklahoma, but then he dropped them and that really opened everything up. I have no clue who he's going to choose, but he can't go wrong."
Harper, Scout.com's the No. 31 running back, has his own list of excellent contenders. He favors Missouri, Illinois, Kansas State, Notre Dame and Oregon. All of his favorites have offered (over 20 total) and he's taken official visits to four of them already.
"I'm just gonna take my time and really think about everything so that I can make a smart decision," he said.
Harper's first trip was to Notre Dame on Sept. 21. "They were a little surprising this year," he said of the Irish's struggles. "They are rebuilding. It's was hard for them to replace Brady Quinn because he was a Heisman-type quarterback and one of the best quarterbacks in college football. Plus, they also lost a lot of other players too. It was just a lot to replace and they've got a really young team.
"I know everyone expects Notre Dame to win and be great because they are Notre Dame and I don't think they'll have another year like this," he said. "They'll be really good next year."
Following his trip to South Bend, Harper tripped to Illinois. "They did a lot better than I expected this year," he said. "But for me it's all about the coaches with them. I really like those guys. Coach Ron Zook actually reminds me a lot of (USC) coach Pete Carroll (whom he met when the Trojans visited his high school last year).
"Coach Zook is a high motor-type guy and a great motivator," he said. "Plus they both have tons of energy and are intense."
Harper says the team that is recruiting him the hardest is Missouri and he visited the Tigers on Nov. 9. "This season has really had a lot of surprises," he said. "Missouri is definitely one of them. I thought they'd be good, but not this good.
"I really expect Missouri to win this weekend (against Oklahoma) and go to the national championship," he said. "They are a great team and have like the best offense in the country. They have five big time players, plus (quarterback) Chase Daniel. They don't really have any weaknesses."
Harper visited Missouri when they played Kansas State and got a double dose of the Wildcats the following weekend (Nov. 17) when he visited Manhattan, Kan. "I know a lot of people at Kansas State and grew up around a lot of those guys," he said. "I have a great relationship with the coaches and I already know everything about the school. One thing I really liked was getting to talk to a few communications professors because that's what I want to major in."
He is taking his final official visit this weekend (Nov. 30), when he visits Oregon. "They actually just offered me earlier this month," he said. "They run a spread offense and want a quarterback that can run. They are looking to replace Dennis Dixon and I'm a similar style quarterback. They really fell down hard once he went down. He was a Heisman Trophy candidate and was the bulk of the offense.
"I really didn't get to see him play much, but I think we're both pretty elusive and fast. Also, he reads defenses well and I think I'm good at that too."
One school that Harper previously mentioned as a contender that didn't make his final cut is California. "I talked to the coaches and told them I wasn't interested anymore," he said. "If I'm gonna play wide receiver (and not quarterback) I want to at least be moved around. But Cal wanted me strictly at receiver."
The only other school recruiting Harper at wide out is Notre Dame, but the Irish have discussed using him as more of an athlete. He says he's expecting an in-home visit from coach Charlie Weis and the Irish staff next week.
Harper already had an in-home visit from a Kansas State coach on Nov. 26.
"I haven't had one bad visit," he said. "They were all really good and each had something that I really liked. I can't say that one visit was better than the others."
He reports a 3.0 core GPA and a 18 ACT.