Joshua Harris, a former NC State defensive tackle, is seeking for a fresh opportunity after one year at Ole Miss. Coincidentally, the Wolfpack is looking for a defensive tackle to pair with Brandon Cleveland this offseason, following the departures of C.J. Clark and Nick Campbell via transfer.
Could a reunion be on the cards for both sides? Pack Pride believes State will target him this offseason.
Harris announced he intends to enter the transfer portal on Friday afternoon and immediately emerged as a target for the Wolfpack. That’s due to the lack of depth at the position, but also the talent that Harris possesses in the middle. With a powerful frame at 6-foot-2, 325 pounds, the expectation prior to last offseason was that Harris would push to be in the rotation alongside Clark.
While Cleveland is expected to be the starter, having a veteran with 25 games played over the last two years would be an ideal situation in the middle of the defense. There will be some serious competition for Harris’ services — sources tell Pack Pride that UNC is looking to get in the mix — but the Pack is looking to bring him back home.
“First, I want to thank God for giving me the opportunity to play the game I love,” Harris wrote in his announcement. “I thank him for bringing me to Ole Miss to meet great coaches, teammates, trainers, staff and overall community. I want to thank the Ole Miss football program for helping me get to the point that I am now, for believing in me, and pouring into my athletic abilities. I am truly grateful.
“All things considered, I’d like to announce that I’ve officially entered the NCAA transfer portal for my final year of eligibility.” I’m excited to see what God has in store.”
After his one and only season at Ole Miss, Harris saw little play on a deep defensive line and helped Ole Miss to a historic 11-win season in 2023, concluding in a Peach Bowl win.
Harris finished the season with just 13 tackles, four of which were solo. He had a season-high four tackles in Ole Miss’ 38-35 victory over Texas A&M, following a previous high of three against Mercer in the season opener. He did not record any tackles for loss or sacks in 13 games. Harris came to Ole Miss from NC State, where he recorded 47 tackles in 38 career games. According to 247Sports, he was the No. 17 defensive tackle in his high school recruiting class.
