Brian Harris announces college commitment: Mandarin DL selects SEC destination
(This story has been updated to add new information.)
With a giant red hat, big red shoes and a "Boomer Sooner" cheer, Mandarin's rising senior defensive lineman committed to play college football at Oklahoma, announcing his decision at a May 23 ceremony inside Arca Church on Jacksonville's Southside.
Harris had named a finalist list that also included Alabama, Michigan, Penn State and South Carolina, receiving more than 20 offers during the recruitment process. He briefly pulled on a Penn State cap before selecting the Sooners in a recruiting win for Oklahoma coach Brent Venables and his staff.
For the past two months, he said, he had been leaning toward Oklahoma.
"It's just a blessing to actually have it out now, and having everybody know in the world that I'm going to be a Boomer Sooner," he said.
Joined by parents Brian Sr. and Andreia on the stage for his decision, Harris said Oklahoma's consistency in communication helped win him over.
"I'm glad to have Coach [co-defensive coordinator Todd] Bates and Coach Venables by my side," he said. "They're both defensive-minded guys and their energy is just something different. I want to wake up every morning with that."
Mandarin's Brian Harris (99) leads the team onto the field before a high school football matchup Thursday, May 23, 2024 at Mandarin High School in Jacksonville, Fla. Mandarin defeated Bolles 35-14.
The Brian Harris recruiting file
The 6-4, 285-pound defensive lineman helped the Mustangs to a District 1-7A championship in 2024 and a berth in the Florida High School Athletic Association regional playoffs. National recruiting service Rivals lists Harris as a four-star recruit, while he's listed with three stars for ESPN, On3 and 247Sports. He entered the spring at No. 62 on the USA TODAY Florida Network Top 100 list for the state's football prospects in the 2026 class.
During his junior year, Harris recorded 29 tackles, 10 1/2 for loss, with 4 1/2 sacks and a pair of forced fumbles.
The news is the latest commitment in what shapes up as a highly active 2026 for Mandarin recruiting. Cornerback Brody Jennings has already committed to Michigan, while Mustangs rising seniors defensive backs Shareef Jackson and Tamajh Mitchell, linebacker/edge rusher Kameron Mills and wide receiver Ethan Sherman are drawing significant interest from NCAA Division I programs.
He joins a short list of Northeast Florida commits to the Sooners, a list highlighted by Union County defensive tackle Markus Strong in December 2022. The decision places Harris on the opposite side of the Red River Rivalry from former Mandarin teammate Jaime Ffrench Jr., after the wide receiver signed with Texas in December 2024.
"I want to step foot on that field and see 100,000 fans cheering my name when I get a sack in the backfield," he said.
Mandarin, which finished 7-4 in 2024, opens the new season on Aug. 22 at Creekside in pursuit of a second state final visit in three years.
"I'm ready to get it kick-started," Harris said.
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