Former Ole Miss DL Zxavian Harris signs UDFA deal with NFC South team
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Former Ole Miss defensive lineman Zxavian Harris, whose injuries and off-field issues likely led to him not being drafted last weekend, finally has an NFL home.
Harris signed an undrafted free agent deal with the New Orleans Saints, with the Ole Miss football social media account announcing the signing on Friday afternoon. After being projected by ESPN as the No. 63 overall player available in the NFL Draft as well as the 5th-rated defensive tackle, the 6-foot-7, 320-pound Harris fell completely out of the draft.
There were plenty of reasons for that, of course. Harris underwent foot surgery after the NFL Combine in February, and that was only the latest blow to his draft stock. The off-field issues didn’t help his cause either, as Harris was arrested in 2024 and charged with domestic violence and obstructing arrest.
He was also arrested in 2023 and charged with driving under the influence, reckless driving and felony fleeing.
But the Saints have taken a flyer on Harris, adding the SEC behemoth to their depth in the trenches after the draft dust settled.
Harris, who was labeled as a third-round pick in a USA Today mock draft released exactly a week before the draft in Pittsburgh, could be a potentially big boost to New Orleans’ run defense. He also contributed at Ole Miss on special teams, so that could be an area where he helps the Saints.
But Harris also showed he could rush the passer with the Rebels, recording 3 sacks during the 2025 season. The Mississippi native spent 4 seasons in the Ole Miss program.
If Harris sticks on the Saints, he could be a potential help to New Orleans in its quest to compete for an NFC South title in 2026. Here is what the Kalshi market is currently saying about the odds for who will be the last team standing in that division this season:
Cory Nightingale, a former sportswriter and sports editor at the Miami Herald and Palm Beach Post, is a South Florida-based freelance writer who covers Alabama for SaturdayDownSouth.com.
