Where does Charles Harris rank among Mizzou’s top defensive linemen of the last 10 years?
Redshirt junior DE Charles Harris had a breakout season for the Missouri Tigers in 2015.
Showcasing a devastating spin move that baffles opposing offensive linemen, Harris racked up seven sacks and an SEC-best 18.5 tackles for a loss last year.
During a tough 2015 season for the Tigers, Harris still stood out. As both Mizzou’s offensive and defensive units look to improve in 2016, Harris will attempt to create even more havoc in opposing backfields this fall.
But, where do Harris’s stats stand among Mizzou’s other recent defensive line standouts?
First, let’s take a look at how Harris has fared in his first two seasons:
2014: 19 tackles, 2.0 sacks
2015: 56 tackles, 7.0 sacks, 2 forced fumbles
Now, let’s compare those numbers to the stats accumulated by Mizzou’s other defensive linemen selected in the NFL Draft in the last 10 years (stats courtesy of ESPN.com).
(Note: Brian Smith, Missouri’s all-time sack leader, with 31.5 total, was selected in the 2007 NFL Draft, but his Mizzou career all took place outside of our 10-year window.)
Ziggy Hood
2005: 18 tackles, 1.0 sack
2006: 29 tackles, 3.0 sacks
2007: 45 tackles, 4.0 sacks, 1 forced fumble
2008: 52 tackles, 5.0 sacks
2009: Drafted 1st round (No. 32 overall) by Pittsburgh in 2009.
Hood did a great job clogging the middle during his time with the Tigers. His consistency was a big part of Mizzou’s success during the late 2000s.
Stryker Sulak
2005: 32 tackles, 3.0 sacks, 1 forced fumble
2006: 38 tackles, 2.0 sacks, 1 forced fumble
2007: 55 tackles, 6.0 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 interception
2008: 49 tackles, 10.0 sacks, 2 forced fumbles
2009: Drafted 6th round (No. 199 overall) by Oakland
Sulak, a first-team All-Big 12 performer, was a turnover and sack machine, contributing during all four seasons. It’s hard to match his career body of work.
Aldon Smith
2009: 60 tackles, 11.0 sacks, 1 forced fumble
2010: 48 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 1 interception
2011: Drafted 1st round (No. 7 overall) by San Francisco
Smith was an electric player from both the defensive end and linebacker spots, but had trouble staying on the field.
Sheldon Richardson
2011: 36 tackles, 2.0 sacks
2012: 75 tackles, 4.0 sacks, 3 forced fumbles
2013: Drafted in 1st round (No. 13 overall) by the New York Jets
Richardson’s 2012 season was great, but he didn’t have the longevity at Mizzou that other defensive linemen had.
Kony Ealy
2011: 17 tackles, 1.0 sack, 1 forced fumble
2012: 37 tackles, 3.5 sacks
2013: 43 tackles, 9.0 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 interception
2014: Drafted in 2nd round (No. 60 overall) by Carolina
With Ealy, Sam, Ray and Golden, the 2013 Mizzou defensive line was stacked. Ealy’s impact was overshadowed by Sam’s, but the Panthers got a steal when Ealy fell to the end of the second round.
Michael Sam
2010: 24 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 interception
2011: 29 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 1 interception
2012: 22 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble
2013: 48 tackles, 11.5 sacks
2014: Drafted in 7th round (No. 249 overall) by the Rams
The fact that Sam, the 2013 SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Year, wasn’t selected until the seventh round was curious. Culminating with an outstanding 2013 season, Sam’s career body of work was as impressive as anyone’s on this list.
Shane Ray
2013: 39 tackles, 4.5 sacks
2014: 65 tackles, 14.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble
2015: Drafted in 1st round (No. Pick 23) by Denver
Ray’s 2014 season is easily the best individual year on this list, earning Ray the 2014 SEC Defensive Player of the Year award.
Markus Golden
2012: 10 tackles, 1 forced fumble
2013: 55 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 1 interception
2014: 77 tackles, 10.0 sacks, 1 forced fumble
2015: Drafted in 2nd round (No. 58 overall) by Arizona
Golden’s 2013 and 2014 seasons were impressive as he and Ray instilled fear in opposing offenses.
So what about Harris?
Since he didn’t contribute much as a redshirt freshman, and will probably leave for the NFL following the 2016 season, it’ll be tough for Harris to match the career stats of Sam and Sulak, who must be considered the top Mizzou defensive linemen of the past 10 years based on their bodies of work.
But that doesn’t mean Harris can’t compete with Ray’s 2014 season, which was the best individual season on this list. Ray’s 14.5 sacks will be tough to match, but since Harris had 18.5 tackles for loss last year, it’s not out of the question.
However, a more likely trajectory for Harris to match is Golden’s 2014 season. Golden had 10.0 sacks playing alongside Ray, but his 77 tackles were more than Ray’s 65.
A big part of Harris’ game is defending the run, so expect his tackle total to rise in 2016, too.
But with a potential first-round grade in the NFL Draft as motivation, Ray’s 2014 sack stats aren’t out of reach, either.
Though Harris most likely won’t go down as Mizzou’s best defensive lineman of the past 10 years, he has a great chance to work his way up the list and become the Tigers’ fifth first-round NFL Draft pick in that timeframe.
Mizzou Defensive Line Rankings
- Michael Sam
- Stryker Sulak
- Shane Ray
- Sheldon Richardson
- Markus Golden
- Aldon Smith
- Charles Harris
- Kony Ealy
- Ziggy Hood