NY Jets Friday Spotlight: David Harris

Welcome to the Friday Spotlight.  Here we spotlight one key player for each game of the season, hopefully putting a different player in the spotlight each week. Today's player in the spotlight is linebacker David Harris.  Harris is a  6' 2", 245 pound, 31 year old linebacker out of the University of Michigan.  He was drafted by the Jets in the second round of the 2007 draft, the 47th overall pick.   Harris is the rare Jets second round pick who succeeded.  He was a starter from day one and has been a starter ever since.  Harris has led the Jets in tackles every year he has been healthy, missing only in 2008 when he was out five games with an injury.  He is the Jets leading tackler again through two games of the 2015 season. Other than those five missed games in 2008 David Harris has never missed a start.

Quiet and unassuming, Harris is something of an unsung hero with the Jets.  He has been rock solid at inside linebacker, but he has never made a Pro Bowl team.  A strong and sure tackler, Harris is also an occasional threat in the pass rush and the best of a mediocre group of Jets linebackers in pass coverage.

Now approaching 32 years old, David Harris has seen a lot of recent Jets history.  He has been here, quietly leading the defense, through nine different starting quarterbacks, four different defensive coordinators, four different offensive coordinators, three different head coaches and three different general managers.  He has been here through a couple of serious runs at the Super Bowl and through a couple of runs at being the worst team in football.   Through it all Harris has been supremely consistent and professional, just doing his job and doing it well.

Here are David Harris' NFL statistics in his long NFL career:

This Sunday's game against the Philadelphia Eagles presents some difficult challenges, particular against some outstanding talent in the Eagles' backfield.  The Eagles acquired reigning NFL rushing champion DeMarco Murray in the offseason, and although he has gotten off to a nightmarish start, he remains one of the most dangerous backs in the league rushing the ball.  In addition, the Eagles have one of the best pass catching backs and third down specialists in the league in Darren Sproles.  How the Jets fare in limiting the production of two of the Eagles' best offensive weapons will go a long way towards deciding the outcome of the game.

David Harris will be right in the middle of everything the Jets try to do to contain Sproles and Murray. If Harris and his defensive compadres along the Jets' front can contain Murray, the Eagles will be forced into a one dimensional passing offense under Sam Bradford, a situation the Eagles would rather avoid.  However, even if Harris and the Jets bottle up Murray, the Eagles will probably counter with a heavy dose of Sproles, a nightmare matchup for any linebacker.  Harris will need plenty of help against Sproles, but he will still likely be getting plenty of primary responsibility to stop the Eagles' slippery scatback.  If Harris holds his own in these matchups, the Jets should be able to hold in check a one dimensional Eagles downfield passing attack.  On the other hand, if Harris and the Jets struggle to contain the Eagles' superb backfield one two punch, this could be a long day for Gang Green.

With a brand new shiny and very lucrative contract in his pocket, this game is an opportunity for David Harris to really earn his money.  This is a serious challenge worthy of a serious linebacker.  Though David Harris usually shuns the spotlight, this is his moment to shine.

A 3-0 start for the Jets looked like a long shot going into the season, but now it is just one game away.  David Harris' performance on Sunday will go a long way towards determining if it becomes a reality.   This is David Harris' time in the spotlight.  Let's hope he shines bright on Sunday.