Former Milwaukee Basketball standout Demetrius Harris signed a one-year deal with the Chicago Bears on the afternoon of Wednesday, Feb. 19th.
After transferring from Mineral Area College in Missouri, Harris spent two seasons on the men’s basketball team at UWM. He did not see much action on the court during his junior season, only appearing in 19 games for longtime Panthers Coach Rob Jeter. His breakout season came in 2012-13 where he played in all 32 contests, serving as a starter in 28 of them. Harris averaged nearly 10 points per game and led the team in rebounds with 170 on the season.
Harris’ all-state high school football background and daunting 6-7 230-pound frame caught the eyes of several NFL scouts throughout his senior year at UWM. Harris had originally committed to Arkansas State to play football out of high school but was eventually turned away because he did not meet eligibility requirements academically.
Following the 2012-13 college basketball season, Harris provided NFL scouts an opportunity to see him workout and showcase his talents on the football field. He was a longshot to get drafted to the NFL after not playing football since high school, but his raw talent and remarkable athleticism were more than enough for him to be considered as an undrafted free agent.
Harris started his NFL career in the fall of 2013 as a member of the practice squad for the Kansas City Chiefs. After paying his dues on the practice squad for an entire season, he earned a spot on the Chiefs’ active roster in 2014. Kansas City is where his professional football career skyrocketed, as it was the city that took a chance on a young man that hadn’t played football in over four years. Harris served as a reliable backup tight end in Kansas City over the course of five seasons, and eventually emerged as a premiere blocker at the position. Blocking is definitely where Harris has made his money in the NFL, but his massive frame and leaping ability have posed as a receiving threat at times.
After finding a great deal of success on the Chiefs from 2014-18, Harris signed with the Cleveland Browns for the 2019 season. His short stint with the Browns was one of his most notable bouts, as he was featured more as a receiver. He managed to haul in three touchdowns from famed quarterback Baker Mayfield, tying a career-high that was initially set just one season prior in Kansas City.
Harris was most recently acquired by the Chicago Bears, reuniting with Matt Nagy, his former offensive coordinator on the Chiefs. This move adds depth at the tight end position for the Bears, an area in which they’ve lacked consistency for several years.
Harris is a proven veteran in the NFL that could mesh greatly in Nagy’s offense, as he played in it for the majority of his career. It is likely that Harris will be featured in a more prominent role than ever before, as a blocker and receiver. Before tight end Trey Burton was plagued with injuries, he was Bears’ Quarterback Mitchell Trubisky’s favorite target in play-action rollout situations. Harris could solidify himself as one of his quarterback’s favorite options in the upcoming 2020 campaign, as the Bears look to return to their NFC North Champion caliber play of two seasons ago.