Napoleon Harris
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| Napoleon Harris | |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | February 25, 1979 |
| Place of birth | Chicago, Illinois |
| Position(s) | Linebacker |
| College | Northwestern |
| NFL Draft | 2002 / Round 1/ Pick 23 |
| Statistics | |
| Team(s) | |
| 2002-2004 2005-current |
Oakland Raiders Minnesota Vikings |
Napoleon Harris nicknamed Napo (born February 25, 1979 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American Football player who currently plays linebacker for the Minnesota Vikings of the NFL. Harris was traded from the Oakland Raiders to Minnesota along with a first round draft pick for wide receiver Randy Moss.
[edit] High school career
Harris attended Thornton Township High School in Harvey, Illinois and lettered in football and basketball. In football, he posted 24 sacks, 91 tackles, two fumble recoveries, five forced fumbles, two safeties, and one interception and was named the Defensive Player of the Year by the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Star Publications, Daily Southern, and the Hammond Times. Harris was a football and basketball teammate of current Washington Redskins wide receiver Antwaan Randle El.
[edit] College career
He played both football and basketball (one year) at Northwestern. Completed college career ranked 11th on Northwestern's all-time tackles list with 334. All-Big Ten as a senior after starting all 11 games at defensive end after moving from outside linebacker and ranked fourth on team in tackles with 78.
[edit] Pro career
Napoleon was drafted in the first round of the 2002 draft by the Oakland Raiders, the 23rd overall pick. That year he started 13 of 15 regular-season games and all three playoff games for the Super Bowl XXXVII runner-up Oakland Raiders and was named to the Pro Football Weekly All-Rookie team. The next year he was acquired by Minnesota as part of blockbuster Randy Moss trade to Oakland along with the 7th overall pick and a 7th-round pick in the 2005 Draft.
Despite being traded for one of the premier players in the National Football League, Napolean Harris did not live up to his potential in the following season with the Minnesota Vikings. His starting job was taken by veteran linebacker Keith Newman, and Harris played as primarily a reserve for the rest of the season. New Vikings Defensive Coordinator Mike Tomlin reports that Harris has adjusted very well to the new Cover 2 scheme and will be starting middle linebacker for the 2006 season.
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