The Los Angeles Chargers‘ acquisition of Najee Harris on Monday, merely nine hours into free agency, marked the culmination of a recruitment effort that, for coach Jim Harbaugh, spanned nearly nine years. Back in 2016, while coaching the Michigan Wolverines, Harbaugh pursued Harris with unwavering determination, aiming to bring the talented running back to Ann Arbor. However, Harris ultimately chose to play in the SEC, spending his collegiate career at Alabama under Nick Saban.
Harris’s decision proved successful, as he became a first-round NFL Draft pick, a feat less common for running backs. Yet, when free agency 2025 arrived, it was Harbaugh who clearly demonstrated the strongest desire to secure Harris’s services.
Jim Harbaugh Had His Eye On Najee Harris For Michigan Wolverines, Adds Him To Los Angeles Chargers
Harbaugh’s recruitment of Harris, the No. 2 running back in the 2017 class, was notably extensive. In late 2016, he attended Harris’s high school game, fully adorned in Antioch High School gear, and even took the unusual step of announcing the homecoming queen during the event. “That was an all-time first for me,” Harbaugh said after the visit, calling the experience “really cool.”
Despite Harbaugh’s efforts, Harris, a California native, also received strong interest from USC and Alabama. He chose to play in the SEC, winning national championships as a freshman and senior with the Crimson Tide. The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Harris with the No. 24 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, but after they declined his fifth-year option in 2024, Harbaugh finally had a second chance to coach the running back he had pursued years earlier. With J.K. Dobbins a free agent and Gus Edwards recently released, Harris is now the clear leader in the Chargers’ backfield.
Harris, ranked as the No. 2 running back and No. 9 overall player in the 2017 class by 247 Sports, was a highly sought-after recruit. While USC had the advantage of geographical proximity, the allure of playing for Saban or Harbaugh was significant. Ultimately, Harris chose Alabama, the nation’s dominant program at the time.
The Michigan Wolverines 2017 running back recruiting efforts resulted in commitments from O’Maury Samuels and Kurt Taylor, but neither player made a significant impact. Samuels rushed for only 79 yards in two seasons before transferring, while Taylor never appeared in a game.
While both Harris and Harbaugh achieved considerable success on their respective paths—Harris at Alabama and Harbaugh at Michigan Wolverines—it’s intriguing to consider whether Michigan Wolverines’ rise under Harbaugh could have been accelerated with a running back of Harris’s caliber in their run-focused offense.
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