Andrew Harris

Physical Profile

Listed at 6-2, 238 lbs. Taller than 5% and heavier than 59% of 2026 Edge Rusher prospects in the SEC Scouts database (169 with a listed size).

Play Style

An aggressive, forward-moving defender who plays best near the line of scrimmage. At Weddington he lined up as a stand-up edge and outside linebacker. He diagnosed runs quickly, attacked the gap between the tackle and tight end, and finished in the backfield. As a blitzer he times the snap well and brings power when he hits the quarterback; this is where his track burst shows up most. In pursuit he takes efficient angles and tackles with good pad level for his size. He is at his best reacting and attacking, and less proven reading plays from depth and dropping into coverage. His play resembles Thomas Davis's instincts in a heavier, more edge-oriented body.

Strengths

• Plays in the backfield: 25 tackles for loss in a single season (as a sophomore) and repeated high TFL totals show he reads run keys quickly and closes on the ball behind the line, not just in pursuit.
• Can rush the passer from the second level: 8.5 sacks as a sophomore and about 7 in a later season give him a real blitz and edge-pressure tool that most off-ball linebacker recruits don't have. South Carolina's hybrid and 'D-end' roles fit that directly, and Harris named that fit as a reason he committed.
• Ready for college physically: he played at 235–238 pounds as a high schooler, has shot-put power and enrolled early for spring practice. He should not need a redshirt year just to add strength, which is rare for a first-year linebacker.
• Background and consistency: he started on a Weddington program that went 13-1 and 12-2 in consecutive years, and his uncle is Thomas Davis, a three-time Pro Bowl NFL linebacker, so he has had high-level linebacker mentoring for years.

Areas to Improve

• Pass coverage: a lot of his production came moving forward, rushing off the edge and in the backfield. For an SEC off-ball role he needs to show he can open his hips, carry a tight end or running back up the seam and read zone coverage while dropping, rather than simply crashing downhill.
• Taking on blocks inside and staying disciplined: as an edge player he often won by getting around blockers. Inside, he will need to take on guards pulling around to block him, stay in his assigned gap instead of going for the splash play, and get off blocks with his hands instead of relying on speed and power.
• Settling on a position: 247 and On3 rank him as an edge while his college position is linebacker, so he is still learning what to read and where to line up. Staying at one spot (or clearly defining a hybrid role) will decide how fast he moves up the depth chart.

College Projection

Year 1 (2026): he wears #30 and early enrollment put him in spring practice, so a special-teams role (kickoff and punt coverage) plus rotational snaps in packages that use his blitzing are realistic. That depends on how deep the South Carolina linebacker room is and on his fall camp. Years 2–3: he has a chance to start at WILL/SAM or in a hybrid linebacker/edge role if his coverage and reading of plays catch up to his pass rush. His ceiling is a multi-year starter who plays all three downs and can drop into coverage or rush the passer. If coverage never develops, he still has a solid floor as a pass-rush specialist and core special-teams player.

NFL Outlook

He is a mid-level 4-star by composite, and his real NFL appeal is being a 235–240-pound linebacker who can actually rush the passer. NFL teams value that 'SAM who can rush' player. If he shows he can handle coverage and puts up SEC production (double-digit TFL seasons), he projects as a Day 3 pick, with a Day 2 ceiling if he posts a strong 40 and 10-yard split at the combine. If he stays a two-down or pass-rush-only player, special-teams value gives him a realistic path as an undrafted or late-round free agent. His timeline points to entering the draft after his redshirt-junior or senior season (2029–30).

Best Fit

A multiple 4-2-5 or 3-4 defense that uses a hybrid 'Viper'/SAM linebacker who both rushes the passer and plays off the ball. That is essentially the South Carolina role he cited when he committed. Defenses that simulate pressure and move linebackers into the gaps around the edge get the most from his burst and tackles-for-loss production. A pure spread-matching scheme that asks linebackers to cover in space for long stretches is a worse early fit.