Copyright © 2022 Albuquerque Journal
Justin Harris chuckles a bit and sighs when he thinks about how far he has come in the past seven years.
The 6-foot-6, 259-pound defensive end for the University of New Mexico first started playing football as a junior at East Ascension High School in Gonzales, Louisiana. He quickly became one of the top recruits in the state and recruited by then-Baylor coach Matt Rhule, among others. Thus began Harris’ topsy-turvy journey that eventually led him to UNM, where he is among a handful of defensive linemen who could fill the role of standout Joey Noble, who is now attempting to reach the NFL after leading the Lobos with 6½ sacks and 18½ tackles for loss, which was tied for first in the Mountain West Conference during the 2021 regular season.