Playing running back in the Air Raid requires an ability to run, block and catch passes out of the backfield, so Washington State's coaches are generally picky about the backs they recruit. It appears that they've found themselves another gem in this class, however.
Romello Harris, a three-star all-purpose running back out of Tulare, Calif., officially signed his letter of intent Wednesday, adding yet another dynamic playmaker to an exciting group in the WSU backfield.
The 5-foot-10, 173-pounder committed to Washington State in early December over offers from Air Force, Colorado State, Duke, Fresno State, Navy and Washington. Harris, whose area recruiter was Clay McGuire, took an official visit to Washington State a few weeks ago, though he's been locked in from the get-go.
A consensus three-star prospect, Harris is rated the No. 8 running back in the West by Scout.com and the No. 38 running back in the country by 247 Sports. Despite missing a few games with several injuries this season -- which will likely cause him to redshirt this season -- Harris was named to the Cal-Hi All-State First Team for Medium Schools.
As a senior, the Union standout finished with 1,943 yards and 25 touchdowns, racking up nearly 10 yards per carry in the process. For his career, the record-breaking running back finished with 7,311 yards and 81 rushing touchdowns. In his junior season alone, Harris rumbled for 2,561 yards and 31 touchdowns.
As previously mentioned, Harris recently had surgery to repair an undisclosed injury and will likely redshirt, especially with Jamal Morrow, Gerard Wicks, Keith Harrington and James Williams returning next year. This kid has a very bright future, though.
Scouting report
First thing you notice is how hard he runs for his size. Harris doesn't dance a whole lot, he makes decisive cuts off good reads on the blocking and goes. And those cuts are fast. Harris hits the line hard and isn't afraid to take on tacklers. Not exactly punishing, but he makes defenders earn it, seems immune to arm tackles. You don't get a whole lot of looks at him in the pass game, but you can see him make a few catches that show off his hands and he explodes up field on swings/sweeps. RB is loaded right now, giving him plenty of time to RS and push guys after next season.
Rankings
Rivals — ★★★
Scout — ★★★
247 Sports — ★★★
ESPN — ★★★
Measurables (Rivals)
Position — RB
Hometown — Tulare, Calif.
Height — 5-foot-10
Weight — 173 pounds