Video: Ultimate Highlights of nation's No. 1 recruit
The best high school runs and tackles from Najee Harris of Antioch (Calif.).The nation's No. 1 recruit
Najee Harris was the very first 2017 recruit of top-ranked Alabama in the spring of 2015.
The chiseled 6-foot-2½, 226-pound running back from
Antioch (Calif.) kept his promise by just arriving in Alabama Sunday morning, according to numerous sources. He'll reportedly enroll at Alabama Monday.
Over the last 12 months, Harris had been swayed mightily by Jim Harbaugh at Michigan and debated heavily to flip. But ultimately he kept his original pledge, confirmed by longtime Scout.com recruiting reporter Brandon Huffman, who just tweeted that he received a tweet from Harris that read: "I'm here at Alabama and going to 'Bama.' "
Harris chose not to make his college announcement Saturday like seven others at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl game in San Antonio, Texas. The MaxPreps first-team All-American rushed eight times for 22 yards at the game.
Among many firsts, the 18-year-old became the first Antioch football player to graduate early. He completed classes on Dec. 23.
Harris finished his senior year as the San Francisco Bay Area's greatest rusher with career totals of 821 carries for 7,813 yards (9.5 per carry) and 94 rushing touchdowns and 99 overall TDs.
At midseason, Harris passed former Cal and Lions standout Jahvid Best, of Salesian College Preparatory (Richmond), as the Bay Area career lead in rushing yards.
He finished fourth in California history in career rushing yards, according to the Cal-Hi Sports Record book, well back of former NFL and Stanford back Toby Gerhart (9,662).
Harris took official visits to Michigan, Cal and UCLA and received a home visit from Nick Saban at Alabama as well as the other schools. Harbaugh appeared to make the most public push for Harris.
In his final game, a 42-18 loss to Monte Vista (Danville) in the North Coast Section Division I title game, Harris rushed 22 times for 180 yards and one score, leaving him one touchdown shy of 100. He had 25 catches for 434 yards and five touchdowns in his career.
More than the statistics or his recruiting rankings, Harris' personality and presence will be missed. His tough-mindedness. His infectious smile and spirit, and unrelenting work ethic. He was constantly in the weight room.
Never boastful, always team first, Harris was respectful, strong and ferocious in his approach. He finished his illustrious career part of prep football royalty: Dignified, righteous and full of grace.
All of it helped turn around the Antioch football culture.
His freshman season — he was brought up to varsity at midseason — the Panthers were 1-9. As a sophomore they were 7-5, then 11-1 and this season 8-5. They played in their first NCS title game since 1977 and they won twice as many playoff games in his career (4) than the previous 37 years combined.
Harris finished with 2,776 yards and 34 touchdowns his senior season.
Najee Harris, Antioch
File photo by Dennis Lee
