The eighth in a series featuring newcomers to the Arkansas football team
After former Joe T. Robinson standout E’Marion Harris officially inked his national letter of intent with Arkansas in December during his signing-day ceremony, one of the first things his high school football coach Todd Eskola disclosed to the large crowd of supporters was how special he felt his prized recruit was.
A few months later, the 6-7, 362-pound offensive lineman got a chance to show his Razorback teammates just how unique he really is when he suited up for spring practices.
“Things have gone pretty good the entire time I’ve been up here,” said Harris, who’s been on the Arkansas campus since January after enrolling early. “Well actually, it’s going great. Everything has gone smooth, workouts have been going good.
“[Coaches] have been getting us right, getting us ready for the season.”
For Harris, football preparation came about as naturally as breathing during his overly dominant, four-year career at Robinson, and that hasn’t changed since he’s been with the Razorbacks.
He was offered a scholarship from powerhouse Alabama before he became a teenager, but that was just the beginning. Harris was 13 when he played his first varsity football game, holding his own against a team three classifications higher.
Since that initial 2018 outing, things only got better.
More from WholeHogSports: More profiles in the Hog Futures series
A who’s who of Power 5 programs, like defending national champion Georgia, Miami, Oklahoma, Texas A&M and Tennessee all vied for Harris, who was a member of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s All-Arkansas Preps team in each of his final three years with the Senators. But when it was all said and done, the consensus 4-star tackle chose the same school where his father, Elliott, once starred during the early 2000s.
“They just kept in contact with me,” Harris said of the Arkansas coaching staff. “They treated me like family. Plus, they’re getting linemen into the [NFL], and that’s what I’m trying to do. They believe in me, and I believe in them.”
Harris, who also noted that Razorbacks fans would be surprised to know how good he is at playing video games, did admit that he has experienced a few believe-it-or-not moments since he’s been in Fayetteville.
After not allowing a sack and grading out at 87% during his senior year, he anticipated his workouts being tough at Arkansas, which is why he mentally prepared himself beforehand. What he did notice almost immediately was how passionate Razorbacks Coach Sam Pittman really is.
That, in turn, kind of took him off guard.
“You know how people see Coach Pittman when he’s on TV?” Harris asked. “That’s how he is in person. … He’s intense. That’s one of the things that’s stood out to me. Like, I knew the workouts were going to be hard, weren’t going to be easy.
“[Workouts] are just way different than a high school workout. But none of that was surprising, it was what I was expecting. I think I’ve adjusted pretty well, though.”
Adjustments have been instrumental for Harris, who’ll find himself in uncharted waters with the Razorbacks. Whereas he was usually the biggest person on the field during his time with the Senators, he’ll no longer hold that distinction while playing in the SEC. Arkansas, alone, has six others on its roster that stand at least 6-6 – four of whom are offensive linemen.
Still, Harris doesn’t seem to be phased. His mentality from high school to college hasn’t changed, either. If anything, it’s been reinvigorated by the opportunity to showcase his talents in one of the best, if not the best, NCAA Division I conferences in the country.
“My expectations for myself, right now, is just trying to be the best version of myself,” he said. “I want to try to get a starting job, try to get on the field. But hard work comes with that, and that’s what I’ve got to continue doing.”
E’Marion Harris at a glance
CLASS Freshman
POSITION Offensive lineman
HEIGHT/WEIGHT 6-7, 362 pounds
HOMETOWN Little Rock
HIGH SCHOOL Joe T. Robinson
NOTEWORTHY Helped lead Robinson to Class 4A titles in 2019 and 2021. … Started 58 games during his career with the Senators. … Rated a four-star prospect by ESPN and Rivals. … Recorded 61 tackles, including 28 for losses, and forced two fumbles while also playing on the defensive line as a senior. … Held scholarship offers from several NCAA Division I schools, including Alabama, Georgia, Nebraska, Missouri and Mississippi State.