Star position at Vanderbilt appealing to Harris

Tampa (Fla.) Hillsborough three-star outside linebacker Nigel Harris was amongst a group of Tampa-area prospects that attended Vanderbilt's spring game this past weekend.

"I really enjoyed the trip," Harris said. "I enjoyed it a lot. I had a good time going up there along with the other guys from Tampa. I think we all enjoyed the trip overall."

The 6-foot-1, 200-pound defender enjoyed his time around the Commodores and felt welcomed with open arms.

"I like that they take care of their recruits," Harris said. "They show a lot of love up there. You are always going to like a school that shows a lot of love back to you."

During the visit, Harris spoke one-on-one with Vanderbilt's defensive coordinator about how his skillset would fit into the 'Dores defense.

"I talked to the defensive coordinator, Coach (Bob) Shoop," Harris said. "He talked to me about playing a linebacker-strong safety hybrid. They call it the star position. So I would be playing in the box but I would also be helping the defensive backs in pass coverage.

"The way he described the position, it sounded like a good position for me to play," Harris added. "It sounds like it is easy to pick up and that you can really make something happen playing there."

The visit was eye-opening for Harris in another way as it changed his view of the Volunteer State.

"I had never been to Tennessee, so you always hear that Tennessee is a country type of place but when I got there it was totally different," Harris said. "When I got there, there was a lot of mixes and different things to do. The people were great. It was very diverse up there. It is a nice place to be."

The Sunshine State prospect admits that James Franklin's program definitely made a lasting impression.

"Right now Vanderbilt is very high with me," Harris said. "All of the schools that are showing me love like that, they are all top priority like that."

Harris, who claims offers from Massachusetts, Purdue, South Florida, UAB, and Vanderbilt, said he will attend South Florida's spring game on Saturday.