HOG CALLS

Freshman Harris mirrors Greenlaw’s 2015 success

Arkansas linebacker De'Jon Harris goes through practice Thursday, Aug. 4, 2016, in Fayetteville.
Arkansas linebacker De'Jon Harris goes through practice Thursday, Aug. 4, 2016, in Fayetteville.

FAYETTEVILLE — As true freshman De’jon Harris scoots up the ladder to Arkansas’ top backup middle linebacker, Dre Greenlaw sees the 2016 version of his 2015 self.

“He’s a young guy, kind of like I was last year, and Coach [Bret Bielema] expects him to come in and compete for the job,” Greenlaw said.

His given name is De’jon, but he was nicknamed “Scoota” practically since his birth in Harvey, La. Harris, 6-0, 255, is a three-star recruit whom Bielema, Razorbacks defensive coordinator Robb Smith and linebackers coach Vernon Hargreaves obviously deem a five-star talent.

Harris immediately zoomed from third team to working with the second team.

After Saturday’s first preseason scrimmage, Harris has secured the second-team spot behind senior three-year starter Brooks Ellis.

Backup sophomore middle linebacker Kendrick Jackson has moved to backup fullback.

Harris’ ascent mirrors the dizzying pace that three-star recruit Greenlaw set last summer at weakside linebacker out of Fayetteville High School.

Greenlaw was the top backup his first two games and started the last 11. He was named to two freshman All-American teams and the All-SEC Freshman team while making 95 tackles, second on the team only to Ellis. Harris posted a team-high 69 tackles in SEC games.

Barring injury to Ellis, Harris won’t play for the 2016 Razorbacks as much as Greenlaw played in 2015.

But Harris will play and play well, Greenlaw predicts.

“He’s a beast,” Greenlaw said. “He has been doing a good job with us. I can’t wait to see as his future goes on how he is going to come out.”

If he mirrors Greenlaw’s 2015, Harris will be thrilled with what he contributes in 2016.

“Dre now knowing what he’s doing makes a difference,” Hargreaves said smiling.

Greenlaw smiles, too.

“It is a big difference me knowing what I am doing,” Greenlaw said. “I look back at the games last year and wonder, ‘What was I doing in this or that situation? Why didn’t I do this?’ I kind of know what I am doing now so I kind of look back on those games and think, ‘Man, if I had known this with what I know now, I would have made that play.”

All that comes with experience. To get the experience you have to have the talent, willingness and aptitude to be trusted for the opportunity to get it.

Greenlaw did, and they believe Harris does as well, particularly with his focused honed and narrowed.

“The thing about De’jon, this is actually the first time he’s playing one position all the time,” Hargreaves said. “In high school he played everything. He was a quarterback, linebacker, kicked off, he did everything. Now he has the chance to just kind of zero in on being a linebacker. Once he gets his feet underneath him, I think he is going to be fine. We have thrown him out there and he is holding his own.”

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