Fred Warner didn’t become an All-Pro linebacker overnight with the San Francisco 49ers. Two years into his budding career, the former third-round pick was still adjusting to life in the NFL.
Then came Year 3 and the first of three All-Pro nods. Everything clicked for Warner as he transformed from a rising talent into one of the league’s top defensive players.
But what does Warner’s success have to do with Houston Texans linebacker Christian Harris? Besides the fact that both saw extensive growth in Year 2, the duo has been molded by former Pro Bowler DeMeco Ryans.
Much like Warner’s progress, Ryans can see a similar upside to Harris’ maturation heading into Year 3.
“For Christian, it was just all about just confidence,” Ryans said earlier this month. “Just believe that you can make those plays. I think that — and for me as a coach it’s one thing, just continue to exude and push that confidence upon him because he’s a great player.”
Harris, a third-round pick out of Alabama, proved that in the right system, good things would happen. With Ryans’ man-heavy formation, he was asked to play in space opposite Blake Cashman up the middle.
That benefitted both parties. Cashman, who signed a long-term deal this offseason with the Vikings, was exceptional near the line of scrimmage, notching a team-high 104 tackles. Harris, who did a bit of everything, was close behind with 102 stops and two sacks.
Where Harris truly stepped up was in coverage, especially in the postseason. Against the Cleveland Browns in the AFC Wild Card Round, he intercepted a pass intended for Harrison Bryant and returned it 36 yards for a touchdown.
“He’s talented. He has all the athletic ability,” Ryans said. “Now it’s just him continuing to believe that. Once he crossed that threshold of believing, that’s when you see him take off.”
The hope is Houston will see more of the same in 2024. Harris should continue shining in space while newcomer Azeez Al-Shaair takes over for Cashman at middle linebacker. Together, the two should tally over 200 tackles and play off another in coverage.
Ryans sees a new spark in Harris. As the confidence grows, so does his success, a similar path to Warner’s rise.
“It’s all about your instincts, right? If you have the instincts and you see it and trust it and go with it and you play fast, you make plays,” Ryans said. “Christian never had a problem with seeing.
“They’re not thinking. They are on autopilot. They’re just rolling. They know the techniques and how to do it. Now, they let their bodies take over and make plays.”
