Bears Take Harris With 14th Overall Pick

For the third straight year, an Oklahoma Sooner has been selected in the first round of the National Football League draft. On Saturday, defensive tackle Tommie Harris was the 14th pick overall when the Chicago Bears tabbed the former OU All-American.

SoonerSports.com will update OU picks throughout the course of the draft. Other Sooners hoping to hear their names called include linebacker Teddy Lehman, defensive back Derrick Strait and safety Brandon Everage.

Harris is the first Oklahoma player taken by Chicago since linebacker Chris Wilson went to the Monsters of the Midway in 1992. Wilson, now an assistant coach at Colorado, was a 12th-round pick.

OU in the NFL Draft

"We couldn't be happier for Tommie. This is a great day for he and his family," said OU head coach Bob Stoops. "Tommie just has incredible explosiveness and quickness, and he's very determined. With the quality of team we've had, he's the only player in our five years here to come in and start as a true freshman. Then he played at an All-American level throughout his career."

Other OU players drafted by the Bears include DE Tom Backles (10th round, 1991), DT Tony Woods (8th round, 1989) OL Anthony Phillips (12th round, 1989), LB Dante' Jones (2nd round, 1988), DE Steve Bryan (5th round, 1987), C Paul Tabor (5th round, 1980), DB Larry Roach (17th round, 1973), Clair Mayes (8th round, 1951), B Ed Lisak (19th round, 1951), E Ed Morris (25th round, 1947), B Ed Davis (20th round, 1944), E Walter Lamb (8th round, 1943), B John Martin (16th round, 1941), C Bill Conkwright (5th round, 1937).

Harris, the 2003 Lombardi Award winner, was the first interior defensive lineman taken in this year's draft. He is the 32nd first-round pick produced by Oklahoma and the 11th OU player drafted since Bob Stoops took over prior to the 1999 season. Other first-round picks produced during the Stoops era include S Roy Williams (Dallas, 2002) and CB Andre Woolfolk (Tennessee, 2003).

Harris is the first Sooner defensive lineman to be drafted since Kelly Gregg went to the Cincinnati Bengals in the sixth round of the 1999 draft. The last OU defensive lineman to go in the first round was Tony Casillas, the second overall pick by the Atlanta Falcons in 1986.

"Tommie is already a gifted player, but given the fact that he never redshirted here and left one year early, I don' t think there's any question that he has a tremendous up side," Stoops said. "As you naturally mature, you just develop more power and strength. I think he's going to be an exceptional professional player and I believe the Bears will be happy with him for a long time."

Harris, two-time All-American, started his first game as a freshman at OU and never redshirted. He entered the draft following his junior season.

Stoops said character also should serve Harris well.

"Tommie's character has always been one of his strengths," he said. "He is a great community servant and a leader in many church-related activities. He's just an all-around solid individual who demonstrates great commitment in every area of his life."

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Bears Take Harris With 14th Overall Pick

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