The Recruiting Guy

Robinson's Harris not your average freshman

Freshman lineman Elliott Harris Jr. has a chance to be a special player.

During this past season, Pulaski Robinson freshman lineman Elliott Harris Jr. showed outstanding athleticism and schools have taken notice.

Harris, 6-4, 300, 5.3 seconds in the 40 yard dash, is drawing interest from Arkansas, LSU, Alabama, TCU, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Purdue, Vanderbilt, Memphis and others.

He recorded 18 tackles and a tackle for loss in nine games. He’ll see more time on the offensive line in the fall.

“It’s a lot of work, the coaches stay on me about my hands and I have to get more reps in practice and stay in shape,” Harris said. “I have to do what the coaches tell me on both sides of the ball.”

Elliott, whose father played defensive end for Arkansas from 2001 to 2004, doesn’t care where he lines up.

“Either side of the ball, whichever is best for the team,” Elliott said.

Assistant coach Brian Maupin, who also serves as the Senator's strength and conditioning coach, marvels at Harris' ability at such a young age.

"He's so big when you look at him you forget he's only a freshman," Maupin said. "He has one of the highest ceilings of any player I've worked with or coached. He's a phenomenal athlete for his size and age."

Harris has a 265 pound bench press, 225 hang clean and 405 squat. He and his family visited the Hogs for the April 23 spring game.

“It was fun, I got to meet some of the players and talk to them,” Harris said. “They told me how dedicated I needed to be in the weight room to be good on the field. They told me to stay in my books and keep my mind right.”

His father was surprised by what he saw. 


“That was his first time like in eleven years,” Harris said. “He was like ‘Oh wow, everything has changed.’ He loved it.”

The Arkansas coaches were impressed with Harris and his younger brother, E'Marion Harris, who’s in the sixth grade.

“They saw my little brother,” Harris said. “He’s 6 foot and 250.”