As Najee Harris stood before Antioch assistant football coach Brett Dudley about four years ago, Dudley couldn’t believe he was meeting a freshman. As the legend goes, the ninth-grader was already 6-foot-2, 185 pounds.
“It was funny because he was so big, I almost didn’t believe he was a freshman,” Dudley recalled.
“I really went and got his whole file from the register’s office the day I met him. … Sure enough, he was in and his age and grade, everything checked out.”
Harris has been making believers ever since. He grew into a 6-foot-3, 225-pound running back who put his Northern California school on the recruiting map with his physical skills and inspiring story.
Reportedly named after a jazz saxophonist, Harris tops this year’s Fab 15 team, the Register’s annual ranking of the best high school football recruits from the western United States heading into National Signing Day on Wednesday.
Fans of Alabama can dream of touchdown runs by Harris because he enrolled at the Southeastern Conference powerhouse earlier this month.
Supporters of USC, UCLA, Michigan and Cal are left to ponder what might have been had Harris picked their school.
“He’s probably,” said Greg Biggins, a national recruiting analyst for Scout.com and Fox, “the best running back I’ve seen out of California in the last decade. He’s a freakish talent.”
Biggins said Harris physically resembles Rams running back Todd Gurley, who is 6-1, 227. Biggins saw the East Bay product and the NFL player at The Opening recruiting showcase in Beaverton, Ore., in July.
“They were standing next to each other and Najee is bigger than Gurley,” Biggins said. “And he’s fast and he’s tough and he’s smart. He catches the ball and works hard.”
Harris is the No. 1-ranked prospect in the nation according to Scout.com and Rivals.com. He rushed for a Northern California record 7,948 yards in a four-year varsity career at Antioch.
Harris’ dedication in the classroom that helped him graduate early from Antioch.
More recruits are opting to jump-start their college careers, but Harris accomplished the feat despite reportedly being homeless while growing up.
Harris and his mother, Tianna Hicks, shared with Bleacher Report that he had an abusive father, who struggled with drugs. Football helped Harris cope and later succeed.
“As good as he is as a player, he’s an even better person,” Dudley, the offensive coordinator at Antioch, said of Harris. “For all the attention he got, he never wanted any of it. He’s super humble.”
Harris now resides with the Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa. He also made official recruiting trips to UCLA, Michigan and his local contender, Cal. But he picked the program known for imposing running backs such as junior-to-be Bo Scarbrough (6-2, 228).
“He will honestly challenge him for the starting job as a true freshman,” Dudley said of Harris. “Najee is much shiftier. … You don’t see tall, big backs like him.”
And if one does, it’s once a decade.
FAB 15 FIRST TEAM
1. Najee Harris, Antioch
RB, 6-3, 225
Harris, the No. 1 overall recruit in the nation by Scout.com and Rivals.com, used his size and strength to rush for 2,776 yards and 34 touchdowns this past season. He ran for 132 yards against powerhouse De La Salle of Concord. Harris’ love of football helped him cope with a difficult childhood that included being Kralbet homeless.
Status: Alabama (signed)
2. Wyatt Davis, St. John Bosco
OG, 6-4, 310
California fans should know all about Davis, the top-ranked guard in the nation by Scout. He played both guard spots while helping the Braves beat Mater Dei in the CIF Southern Section’s Division 1 final. Some scouts rank Foster Sarell of Washington higher overall but we’ll take Davis.
Status: Ohio State (commit)
3. Jaelan Phillips, Redlands East Valley
DE/OLB, 6-6, 250
La Habra coach Frank Mazzotta called Phillips “scary good.” Phillips not only racked up 21 sacks this past season but used his athleticism to return punts. At his size, that is scary. ESPN ranks him as the top prospect in California.
Status: UCLA (signed)
4. Foster Sarell, Graham-Kapowsin (Wash.)
OT, 6-6, 315
Sarell, the top prospect from Washington, earns high marks for his agility, which traces to his days of playing basketball. Scout.com believes his athleticism makes him a promising candidate at left tackle.
Status: Stanford (commit)
5. Stephen Carr, Summit of Fontana
RB, 6-0, 200
Carr is California’s “other” running back after Najee Harris but don’t overlook him. He compiled almost 3,000 all-purpose yards as a senior, including 2,123 rushing. He combines breakaway speed with toughness between the tackles.
Status: USC commit (soft verbal)
6. Darnay Holmes, Calabasas
CB, 5-11, 185
Holmes is a playmaker who can swing momentum in a flash. The West’s top cornerback possesses lockdown cover skills as well as the toughness to stop the run.
Status: UCLA (signed)
7. Joseph Lewis, Hawkins of Los Angeles
WR, 6-3, 211
The fast-rising Lewis features the best combination of size, speed and power of the wide receivers in the West. Scout and Rivals rank him as the No. 1 wideout in the region.
Status: uncommitted
8. Tate Martell, Bishop Gorman (Nev.)
QB, 5-11, 203
Scout’s top-ranked quarterback in the West is undersized but his talents and leadership are immense. In leading Bishop Gorman to a national title this past season, the dual-threat passed for 2,362 yards and 41 TDs and also rushed for 1,257 and 21 TDs. He was intercepted only once.
Status: Ohio State (signed)
9. Austin Jackson, North Canyon (Ariz.)
OT, 6-5, 290
Jackson is the No. 2 offensive tackle in the West, rivaling Foster Sarell from Washington. And like Sarell, Jackson is a former basketball player with excellent agility. He could emerge as another standout left tackle.
Status: uncommitted
10. Tua Tagovailoa, St. Louis (Hawaii)
QB, 6-1, 216
Tagovailoa is a strong-armed left-handed passer who pushed Tate Martell for the top QB spot in the West. The dual threat was selected Hawaii’s Gatorade player of the year after passing for 2,669 yards and 27 TDs and rushing for 727 yards.
Status: Alabama (committed)
11. Jay Tufele, Bingham (Utah)
DT, 6-3, 297
Scout ranks Tufele as the West’s top defensive tackle, high praise considering the talent on the defensive line. Tufele is quick off the ball and shows excellent pursuit.
Status: uncommitted
12. Bubba Bolden, Bishop Gorman (Nev.)
S, 6-3, 185
Rivals and Scout rank Bolden as the best safety prospect in the West. He collected seven interceptions for the national champion Gaels but also played the run well. He could emerge as a big hitter for the Trojans.
Status: USC (committed)
13. Colby Parkinson, Oaks Christian
TE, 6-6, 225
With excellent size and production, Parkinson secured Scout’s top national ranking for tight ends. He collected 33 receptions for 531 yards this past season and also is a strong blocker.
Status: Stanford (committed)
14. Thomas Graham, Rancho Cucamonga
CB, 5-11, 177
Scouting reports vary slightly on Graham, but ESPN ranks him as the No. 49 overall recruit in the nation. There is no denying his speed and physical style. His 70-yard interception return for a touchdown against Mission Viejo in the Southern Section Division 1 playoffs also looks great on the resume.
Status: Oregon (signed)
15. Tyjon Lindsey, Bishop Gorman (Nev.)
WR, 5-8, 165
The former Centennial of Corona wideout is another under-sized prospect but boasts ultra-quick moves and breakaway speed. A knee injury wiped out most of his senior season but the one-time Ohio State commit projects as an explosive slot receiver.
Status: Nebraska (committed)
FAB 15 SECOND TEAM
Rank, player name, school, position, commitment
16. Haskell Garrett, Bishop Gorman (Nev.), DT, Ohio State
17. Marlon Tuipulotu, Central (Ore.). DT, USC (signed)
18. Greg Johnson, Hawkins (Los Angeles), ATH., uncommitted
19. Deommodore Lenoir, Salesian (Los Angeles), CB, uncommitted
20. Jack Sears, San Clemente, QB, USC (signed)
21. Deonte “DJ” Johnson, Burbank (Sacramento), DE, Miami
22. Dylan McCaffrey, Valor Christian (Colorado), QB, Michigan
23. Jaylon Johnson, Central (Fresno), CB, Utah (soft verbal)
24. Greg Rogers, Arbor View (Nev.), DT, UCLA
25. Jaylon Redd, Rancho Cucamonga, CB, Oregon (soft verbal)
26. Jake Moretti, Pomona (Colo.), OL, Colorado
27. Osiris St. Brown, Mater Dei, WR, Stanford
28. Isaiah Pola-Mao, Mountain Pointe (Ariz.), S, USC
29. Addison Gumbs, Stellar (Hayward), OLB, Oklahoma (signed)
30. Hunter Bryant, Eastside (Wash.), TE, Washington
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