KC Chiefs prospect watch: Christian Harris has star linebacker potential

The Kansas City Chiefs have had a rough go thus far into the season. Despite the fact that they are still 2-2 on the year, the Chiefs have not begun making adjustments on defense. It’s still early on in the year but it’s easy to overreact when you’ve lost two games out of four. The Chiefs have a history of winning under Andy Reid, but this season seems to be different.

After a heartbreaking loss to the Ravens in Week 2, and another heartbreaking loss to the Chargers in Week 3, the future of the Chiefs seems bleak this season. After finishing first in the AFC West last season, their schedule is arguably the hardest in the NFL. With each and every week providing a tough matchup, the Chiefs are going to have to make adjustments in order to truly make another run this season.

With their inability to make signings at this point in the season to help transform their defense, who should they look at during the 2022 NFL Draft?

CHRISTIAN HARRIS, LB, ALABAMA

Background

Christian Harris is currently a linebacker for the University of Alabama, and a star linebacker to say the least. Harris came out of University Lab high school in Baton Rouge, LA as a four-star linebacker with a plethora of D1 offers. According to 247sports, he was the fifth-ranked player in Louisiana, sixth ranked linebacker, and No. 110 nationally ranked player in the 2019 recruiting class.

Strengths

There really isn’t enough time to hit on all the good things Harris does well, but I’m going to try. First things first, if there is one thing you need to know about his game, he can in fact stop the run. Not only can he stop the run, but he can stop it better than just about anyone else in this draft. Harris is an aggressive player who plays the ILB role better than anyone, with his explosiveness in front of him and his elite tackling. To put a cherry on top, his ability to play at the line in blitz packages is another thing that stands out in his game. With the ability to diagnose passing plays and locate holes in the offensive line, he finds a way to get to the quarterback and create pressure.

Weaknesses

When it comes to weaknesses, there aren’t many for Harris, but there are still a couple areas that need to be talked about. I stated above how he was a incredible run stopper, but truth is there are some concerns. When diagnosing outside run plays, when trying to handle and diagnose misdirections, he tends to overcommit causing him to miss tackles. On top of missed tackles, there are some concerns with his man coverage skills. When it comes to getting caught up in coverage, it’s going to be considered a mismatch.

How he fits

The Chiefs defense has been a huge problem this season, especially when trying to stop the run. Although the Chiefs aren’t likely going to be in a position to take Harris by the end of the season, Harris is by far and away the player they should be targeting at the end of the first-round.