Standing Tall: Senior offensive tackle Graham Harris has persevered for defending State Champion Central
by William Weathers // GeauxPreps.com Contributor
During a ceremony last December for football players signing college scholarships, a couple of friends nearby, Central High offensive tackle Graham Harris, told Harris to expect to be in a similar position the following year.
Considering he had not received any scholarship offers to that point, Harris was somewhat caught off guard by the remark.
Harris was riding high, though, several weeks removed from Central’s first state championship in 58 years following a dominating 42-0 victory over annual powerhouse Ruston in the Division I non-select championship game.
More than a year ago, Harris’ older brother Grayden, a standout pitcher for the Wildcats, signed a baseball scholarship with Southern Mississippi, leaving Graham with a recruiting blueprint to follow.
Harris’ response to the suggestion of his friends?
“We’ll have to see,” he said.
The 6-foot-2, 290-pound Harris began spring practice in May without a scholarship offer, sparking a vow to raise his level of play over the course of the 15-practice evaluation period for colleges. Not only would he help his team in its bid to put together another strong offensive line, but possibly open doors on the recruiting trail that had been previously closed.
Discussions with different college coaches were initiated, and Harris, an offensive lineman for the past three seasons, began to find the door to college somewhat ajar until finally kicking it down with invitations to camps and unofficial visits.
“I said that I had the best day every day, and as I went through that, talking to different coaches and having the kind of summer I had really helped me,” Harris said.
Harris attended camps at Central Arkansas, Harding University, LSU, Lamar, Northwestern State, and Southeastern Louisiana, receiving terrific instruction to sharpen his skills. The easy-going 3.6 student also bonded with an array of coaching staffs, contributing to a scholarship offer from Northwestern State that led to his commitment less than a month later.
“Going through the recruiting process was really quick for me,” Harris said. “With Grayden, it helped me to see that process. It helped in the experience with what to tell coaches and what to say.”
Harris credited a budding relationship with Northwestern State’s offensive line coach, Cade Camp, for his growing interest in the Demons. The program had lost its last 20 games, including all 12 last season under first-year coach Blaine McCorkle, but that mattered little.
“I talked with my dad and we kind of see Northwestern as kind of where Central was,” Harris said. “A new coaching staff came in, took over a mediocre team, and just flipped it, and that’s what I feel coach McCorkle’s doing with Northwestern. It’s going to see a lot of success.”
The enthusiasm and passion exhibited by Camp and McCorkle were enough to draw Harris to campus for an unofficial visit with other prospective recruits. With each step on campus, touring both the academic and athletic facilities, the more Harris felt compelled that he wanted to play football in Natchitoches.
By the end of the tour, Harris went up to McCorkle in a room full of other prospects and became the first member of NSU’s Class of 2026.
“I thought Coach Camp was a great coach, and I believed their program was the best fit for me,” Harris said. “Before they offered, I wanted to go to their school. Some people didn’t know that, even my parents for a little bit, but I felt like I made up my mind very quickly.
“The more I went on the visit, the more I liked the place,” Harris said. “I went to give him a handshake and told him I really liked the program and was ready to commit. They (coaches) all celebrated.”
Central’s offensive line coach Hunter Edgens shared in his senior tackle’s latest achievement.
“When he decided Northwestern State was where he wanted to go, you could hear the excitement in his voice,” Edgens said. “That gave him peace of mind.”
A car accident a day before the start of the 2024 season against De La Salle resulted in injuries to starters Jackson Firmin at quarterback, Manny Williams at running back, and Kylen Thomas at wide receiver.
Firmin and Thomas were more fortunate and were back playing a week later, while Williams, who suffered more extensive injuries, didn’t return to a playing role until the team’s quarterfinal playoff win over West Monroe.
The Wildcats’ offensive line, though, had its own share of instability with 12 different lineup changes over the first three weeks of the season.
“We were trying to figure out the pieces, who worked well together,” Edgens said. “Everyone has to learn five to six spots. If you can learn the concept of what we’re trying to do, you can play anywhere.”
Harris, who first started the third week of his freshman season, was believed to be one of the team’s mainstays going into the ’24 season and started at center.
Four weeks later, there was little clarity to even suggest Harris would make it through the season.
“It was a struggle,” he said. “It was to a point where it didn’t seem fun anymore. I’d clock in and clock out. It wasn’t for me. My coaches and teammates helped me stick it out. It was a really rough point at that time, and I’m glad I did it because I got to win it all with my boys.”
Harris had experienced ebbs and flows in his career before, digging deep to regain starting positions each time. His versatility enabled him to play four different positions a year ago, starting at center, guard, strong-side tight end, and finally his more natural position at left tackle, where he could protect the right-handed Firmin’s blind side.
“I used him as an example last year and even in the offseason and spring,” Edgens said. “No matter what week it is, no job is solidified. Everybody is competing for a job on a daily and weekly basis.
“You’ve got to earn that job every day,” Edgens said. “There were days where the practice piece may have been lacking. We would take somebody, and he would do well for a period of time, have his struggles, and we would take somebody and tell them they’re going to share the reps this week, and whoever has the better week of practice, that guy’s going to play on Friday.”
Harris relied on a higher power for guidance and sought the direction he wanted to take in his young life.
“I found Jesus,” Harris said. “I saw that maybe this was HIS plan for me. When I started to dig into the word of God, sticking my noses into places and questioning, really getting to know what I really wanted to do with my life, this was actually what I wanted to do.”
With a greater peace of mind and comfort as the anchor of Central’s offensive line, Harris finally put it all together and was part of a regular-season finish that included a 14-3 victory over District 4-5A rival Zachary.
The Wildcats closed with a 36-20 win over Scotlandville before launching their historic run to the school’s first state title since 1966.
“From the second week of the season against Denham Springs until the Zachary game, it showed how much I had improved,” Harris said. “Not only did I realize I had to secure my spot, but work harder than other people. I had the best second half of the season I could ever ask for.”
Central’s state title conquest had a decided north Louisiana feel. The Wildcats defeated West Ouachita (45-20) and West Monroe (21-7) at home before returning to Monroe and eliminating top-seeded Neville (17-13) for the second straight season.
The Wildcats weren’t content with just getting to the Caeser’s Superdome; they made a statement with a quick 35-0 halftime lead on their way to the biggest point differential in Division I/Class 5A state championship history.
Firmin, a Nicholls State signee, threw a season-high five touchdown passes and was named the game’s MVP. The offense scored on five of six first-half possessions, didn’t turn over the ball, and recorded 317 total yards.
“It was like we were firing on all cylinders,” Harris said. “It felt like anything we ran was a positive gain. As we went through the game, we were way better in every aspect of the game versus them. When you see that first touchdown on that bomb to Keithon (Womack), you realize this isn’t going to be as hard as you think it is. It just snowballed.
“It was one of my best games; it was like everything clicked,” Harris said. “When you’ve got that momentum, it feels like you can’t be stopped. You play with so much confidence, a high intensity, and they folded under pressure.”
Edgens, now in his eighth season and third with head coach David Simoneaux Jr., said Harris’ introduction to high school football was a rude awakening in ’22.
In Week 3, the 14-year-old Harris was exposed to not only the brute force of veteran tackles and linebackers, but the sheer speed of edge rushers that were a lot quicker running up the field than Harris was at backpedaling, trying to protect the quarterback.
“It’s a lot different from middle school football to 5A football as a 14-year-old,” he said. “It’s a challenge. He progressed as the year went on, understood the schematic piece of it. His body started to mature a little bit, he started to feel more comfortable. He played better throughout the course of the year.”
The challenge of the mental side of the game served as a big nemesis for Harris, and missed assignments led to emotional outbursts that were difficult for a young player to come to grips with in the heat of battle.
That was an area of growth, coupled with 40 additional pounds, which aided Harris in the transition to a new staff under Simoneaux, who had come over from Catholic High.
“It was a fresh start with a new staff,” Harris said of his sophomore season. “I had to prove myself. I was asked a lot of questions. I have to commend one of my teammates, Andrew Richard (now of Louisiana Tech), for helping me. He helped with my technique and how to fire off the ball.”
Harris admitted to learning from his previous mistake of letting his guard down after securing the starting tackle position. That led Edgens to get his attention during the week of practice with a spirited battle of competition that ultimately raised the level of Harris’ play.
“I was starting to get a little complacent; they felt like I needed to step it up,” he said. “After that, I really stepped up my game and realized I had to really work for my spot. Going through it, I learned the hard way, getting screamed at a whole bunch, but it showed what I really needed to do.”
Baseball was a big part of Harris’ youth, and it wasn’t until the sixth grade that he first played football.
His search for a second sport, though, led him to wrestling in high school at the suggestion of assistant coach Frank Fresina.
“He said, ‘Son, you’d be a good wrestler’,” Harris said. “I didn’t know. He said to give it a chance, and it would help with the offensive line.”
Wrestling in the heavyweight division, even for a 240-pound freshman, has been beneficial to his play on the football field.
Hand placement, a key element for an offensive lineman, was among the traits Harris refined from wrestling, along with better core strength and a good base. He’s applied those lessons learned on the mat to the football field and steadily improved his game.
“It really has helped,” he said. “When you’re dealing with 1-on-1 blocks, those things help. You’re constantly hand-fighting somebody. You’re trying to keep them in one place, trying to keep them controlled.”
One of the defining traits that gives Central’s coaching staff an indication of a player’s commitment in the offseason is the running of 16 110-yard sprints in a specified amount of time per position.
For the offensive linemen, a satisfactory time is 19 seconds.
He recently completed all of his conditioning runs, which are spaced out by a minute of recovery, in the requisite time – another indication of Harris’ continual growth as a leader.
“Two years ago, he couldn’t make eight at best,” Edgens said. “It’s gotten him to the mental capacity where he could handle that workload, overcome the mindset that he couldn’t do this.”
Harris said he fell back on his training in wrestling to conquer the litmus test for football.
“Coach tells us every time, shut off your mind for the next 20-30 minutes and go out there and compete,” Harris said. “I think about it every time I’m running. Eventually, I’m going to be done with this; I may as well give it everything. Just do the best I can.
“You have to stand on the mat for six minutes going toe to toe with somebody that’s giving all of their effort as well,” Harris said. “It makes you power through. It makes you compete.”
Heightened battles within Central’s program have been credited for the program’s rise.
Not only do players have to prove their worth in position matchups to earn a spot on the depth chart and playing time, but when it’s time for team drills, there can be further separation.
The Wildcats’ defensive front seven has produced such standouts as Braylon George, now of Grambling State, and Class 5A All-State first team selections in the Mays brothers – DK, a Houston signee, and KD, a Southern signee.
For the past two years, senior Scott Smith, a Houston commitment, has been a menace on the defensive line and senior linebacker JaMichael Garrett, a transfer from Theodore, Ala., is the nation’s No. 15 linebacker prospect and one-time Auburn commitment that’s reopened his process to include LSU and Ole Miss.
“You look at the guys you’re going up against on a daily basis and you have to bring your best,” Edgens said. “The eye in the sky doesn’t lie. It goes on tape and that’s your resume.”
Facing that echelon of talent in practice has been another tool Harris has utilized to sharpen his skills for the opposition he’s been matched against, such as Neville’s Brody Whatley, a TCU signee.
“Our defense is really tough to go against in practice,” he said. “When you’re constantly going against them, it makes the game so much easier against a team that’s much simpler and not as big.
“Going against a guy like DK Mays, it’s going to make the game look a whole lot easier,” Harris said. “It’s a blessing I’ve been exposed to the people I have. I wouldn’t have learned everything that I know now. Going against different guys that are completely different types of players helps me prepare for everything that can be thrown my game in a game.”
Harris admits his leadership ability is gradually improving. He’s a player with three years of experience, able to speak from a level of maturing fitting of a player with his experience.
When younger players experience their own bumps in the road, Harris is their go-to teammate.
He begins this season at left tackle, one of three returning starters, for an offensive line that will also count on junior center Landon Crochet and senior right guard Devin Reed – a pair of multi-year starters.
Central hosts Madison Prep in scrimmage action at 5:30 p.m. Thursday. The Wildcats will also entertain East Ascension in a jamboree on Aug. 28, starting with junior varsity play at 6 o’clock, followed by the varsity, and De La Salle visits in the season opener on Sept. 5 at 7 p.m.
“I didn’t want to let my teammates down last year, I knew they counted on me,” Harris said. “It didn’t feel right to step away. It was amazing winning a state championship. I’m really glad that I stayed.
“Now I get the opportunity to keep playing and keep doing it,” Harris said. “I realize it’s something that I love doing. I’m ready to prove what I really have at the one spot. Just show I’m one of the best in the state because I believe I am.”
Featured Image Courtesy of Mandi Harris