Best in 25 Years Series: Harris is Northwestern's top outside linebacker

It's been 25 years since Northwestern's magical run to the Rose Bowl in 1995. WildcatReport is celebrating that Silver Anniversary by finding out who's been the best player at each position since that legendary team revitalized Wildcat football.

BEST IN 25 YEARS SERIES:

OFFENSE: QB Dan Persa l RB Justin Jackson l WR D'Wayne Bates l TE Drake Dunsmore l T Zach Strief l G Ryan Padgett l C Rob Johnson

DEFENSE: DE Corey Wootton l DT Matt Rice l MLB Pat Fitzgerald

Northwestern doesn't see many athletes like Napoleon Harris.

He had the strength to bull-rush offensive tackles and the speed to run down wide receivers. He became a second-team all-conference pick at two different positions. He was even a role player off the bench for Northwestern's basketball team. He capped his career by becoming the Wildcats' first first-round draft choice in 19 years.

Now, Wildcat fans have voted the standout from Dixmoor (Ill.) Thornton Township as the best outside linebacker to wear Purple over the last 25 years.

Harris won 65.5% of the votes to claim the title over runner-up Nate Hall, with 17.2%. Harris's teammate, Kevin Bentley, was next with 13.8% of the ballots, while Chi Chi Ariguzo rounded out the tally with 3.4%.

It's hard to argue with the choice.

Harris produced some impressive numbers over the course of his career in Evanston. Despite starting just 29 of 45 games, he finished his career with 334 tackles, ninth-most in Northwestern history. He made 23 tackles in a single game against Indiana in 1999, the fifth-highest total of all time. He also picked off four passes in his career.

BALLOT: Who was the best Northwestern outside linebacker over the last 25 years?

But those statistics don't paint the complete picture of Harris.

How many football players could average 4.9 points and 5.1 rebounds off the bench for a Big Ten basketball team as a freshman walkon? How many could be named second-team all-conference at outside linebacker for the Wildcats' Big Ten co-champions in 2000 and then come back the next season and earn the same honors as a defensive end? How many could run a 4.55 40 at the NFL Combine at 6-foot-3 and 253 pounds?

The way Northwestern coaches employed Harris told the story of his talent. He was first a special teams standout and situational pass rusher. They would line him up as a stand-up defensive end on one play and as a middle linebacker on another. They would blitz him from anywhere to keep offenses on their toes, on a constant lookout for where No. 8 was lining up.

Then, once the ball was snapped, Harris often seemed to be playing at a different speed than players around him. He had rare burst for a guy that size. If you have a vision of Harris in your mind's eye, it's probably of him stalking and dragging down a surprised ballcarrier from behind.

Harris was drafted 23rd overall by the Oakland Raiders in the 2002 NFL Draft, the first NU first-rounder since Chris Hinton in 1983. He was the starting middle linebacker in Super Bowl XXXVII for the Raiders before moving on to Minnesota and Kansas City. He played seven total seasons in the NFL.

Harris is currently the state senator for Illinois' 15th district.