Clark Harris
Encyclopedia
Clark Harris is an American football
long snapper
and tight end
for the Cincinnati Bengals
of the National Football League
. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers
in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Rutgers
.
Harris has also been a member of the Detroit Lions
and Houston Texans
.
and defensive end
in high school
at Southern Regional High School
in Manahawkin, New Jersey
for Head Coach
Chuck Donohue. The Times-Observer and The Star-Ledger
named him All-Ocean County, and was an All-Press of Atlantic City
choice following his senior season. Rated the 22nd-best tight end in the nation by Student Sports Magazine, adding All-American and all-region honors from PrepStar. Led the team to a berth in the NJSIAA's South Jersey Group IV playoffs; he made 29 tackles, including six sacks and seven stops behind the line of scrimmage while also recovering two fumbles, returning one for a score in 2001. Also caught seven passes for 361 yards and three touchdowns that year. Of his 13 career receptions in a run-oriented offense, five went for scores. The three-year starter
also handled the long-snapping
duties, earning a spot on the New Jersey Football Coaches Association Super 100 football team. The versatile athlete also played basketball
and competed in track
. Harris was selected to compete in the North-South New Jersey All-Star Basketball Game. In track, Harris finished fifth in the Meet of Champions in the javelin
with a throw of 180 feet, 3 inches as a junior and placed fourth in the javelin at the Penn Relays
as a senior. Graduated as a Rotary Club Scholar-Athlete and played for New Jersey in the 2002 Governor's Bowl. Harris is an avid board game player and 4 time Stoopball world champion with the help of team mate Christopher Mezey.
He is married to wife Jessica.
honors after leading conference tight ends in catches (53), yards (725) and touchdowns (5). In 2005, he earned First Team All-Big East honors for second consecutive year. He caught 38 passes for 584 yards and four touchdowns.
. He was later cut by the team on September 1, 2007. Harris was re-added to the practice squad the next day but was cut again on September 11, 2007.
to the practice squad on November 28, 2007. He was re-signed by the Lions on August 19, 2008, only to be waived during final cuts on August 30.
after the team released linebacker
Kevis Coley
. On September 30, the team released Harris and re-signed Coley. Harris was re-signed to the Texans' practice squad again on November 5. He was promoted to the active roster on December 3 after long snapper
Bryan Pittman
was suspended four games.
He was waived on September 5 and re-signed to the practice squad the next day. He was released from the practice squad on October 6.
on October 13. He played his first game with the Bengals October 18 against his former team the Houston Texans.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
long snapper
Long snapper
In American football and Canadian football, the term long snapper refers to a player who is a specialized center during punts, field goals, and extra point attempts. His job is to snap the ball as quickly and accurately as possible....
and tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
for the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft
2007 NFL Draft
The 2007 National Football League Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 28 and April 29, 2007. The draft was televised for the 28th consecutive year on ESPN and ESPN2. The NFL Network also broadcast coverage of the event, its second year doing so...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Rutgers
Rutgers Scarlet Knights football
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights football team represents Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision play...
.
Harris has also been a member of the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
and Houston Texans
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
Early years
Harris played both tight endTight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
and defensive end
Defensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
in high school
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
at Southern Regional High School
Southern Regional High School
Southern Regional High School is a regional public high school in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States, serving students in grades 9 - 12 and operating as part of the Southern Regional School District. The school is located on of wooded land, upon which future projects are to be completed...
in Manahawkin, New Jersey
Manahawkin, New Jersey
Manahawkin is a census-designated place and unincorporated area contained within Stafford Township, in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. Manahawkin translates to 'land of good corn' although this has been disputed by recent scholars claiming that it translate to “fertile land sloping into...
for Head Coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
Chuck Donohue. The Times-Observer and The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger
The Star-Ledger is the largest circulated newspaper in the U.S. state of New Jersey and is based in Newark. It is a sister paper to The Jersey Journal of Jersey City, The Times of Trenton and the Staten Island Advance, all of which are owned by Advance Publications.The Newark Star-Ledgers daily...
named him All-Ocean County, and was an All-Press of Atlantic City
The Press of Atlantic City
The Press of Atlantic City is a daily newspaper based in Pleasantville, New Jersey. It is the primary newspaper for most of southeastern New Jersey and the Jersey Shore, publishing regional editions for Atlantic County, Cumberland County, Cape May County, and southern Ocean County...
choice following his senior season. Rated the 22nd-best tight end in the nation by Student Sports Magazine, adding All-American and all-region honors from PrepStar. Led the team to a berth in the NJSIAA's South Jersey Group IV playoffs; he made 29 tackles, including six sacks and seven stops behind the line of scrimmage while also recovering two fumbles, returning one for a score in 2001. Also caught seven passes for 361 yards and three touchdowns that year. Of his 13 career receptions in a run-oriented offense, five went for scores. The three-year starter
Starting lineup
A starting lineup in sports is an official list of the set of players who will actively participate in the event when the game begins. The players in the starting lineup are commonly referred to as starters, whereas the others are substitutes or bench players.The starters are commonly the best...
also handled the long-snapping
Long snapper
In American football and Canadian football, the term long snapper refers to a player who is a specialized center during punts, field goals, and extra point attempts. His job is to snap the ball as quickly and accurately as possible....
duties, earning a spot on the New Jersey Football Coaches Association Super 100 football team. The versatile athlete also played basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and competed in track
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
. Harris was selected to compete in the North-South New Jersey All-Star Basketball Game. In track, Harris finished fifth in the Meet of Champions in the javelin
Javelin throw
The javelin throw is a track and field athletics throwing event where the object to be thrown is the javelin, a spear approximately 2.5 metres in length. Javelin is an event of both the men's decathlon and the women's heptathlon...
with a throw of 180 feet, 3 inches as a junior and placed fourth in the javelin at the Penn Relays
Penn Relays
The Penn Relays is the oldest and largest track and field competition in the United States, hosted annually since April 21, 1895 by the University of Pennsylvania at Franklin Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania...
as a senior. Graduated as a Rotary Club Scholar-Athlete and played for New Jersey in the 2002 Governor's Bowl. Harris is an avid board game player and 4 time Stoopball world champion with the help of team mate Christopher Mezey.
He is married to wife Jessica.
College career
Harris didn't see action in 2002. In 2003 he played in all 12 games and caught 18 passes for 213 yards. In 2004, Harris earned First Team All-Big EastBig East Conference
The Big East Conference is a collegiate athletics conference consisting of sixteen universities in the eastern half of the United States. The conference's 17 members participate in 24 NCAA sports...
honors after leading conference tight ends in catches (53), yards (725) and touchdowns (5). In 2005, he earned First Team All-Big East honors for second consecutive year. He caught 38 passes for 584 yards and four touchdowns.
Green Bay Packers
Harris was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the seventh round as the 243rd overall pick of the 2007 NFL Draft2007 NFL Draft
The 2007 National Football League Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 28 and April 29, 2007. The draft was televised for the 28th consecutive year on ESPN and ESPN2. The NFL Network also broadcast coverage of the event, its second year doing so...
. He was later cut by the team on September 1, 2007. Harris was re-added to the practice squad the next day but was cut again on September 11, 2007.
Detroit Lions
Harris was then signed by the Detroit LionsDetroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
to the practice squad on November 28, 2007. He was re-signed by the Lions on August 19, 2008, only to be waived during final cuts on August 30.
Houston Texans
On September 17, 2008, Harris was signed to the practice squad of the Houston TexansHouston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
after the team released linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
Kevis Coley
Kevis Coley
Kevis Coley is an American football linebacker who is a free agent player in the National Football League. He was signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent in 2006...
. On September 30, the team released Harris and re-signed Coley. Harris was re-signed to the Texans' practice squad again on November 5. He was promoted to the active roster on December 3 after long snapper
Long snapper
In American football and Canadian football, the term long snapper refers to a player who is a specialized center during punts, field goals, and extra point attempts. His job is to snap the ball as quickly and accurately as possible....
Bryan Pittman
Bryan Pittman
Bryan Pittman is a free agent American football long snapper in the National Football League. He was signed by the Texans as an undrafted free agent in 2003...
was suspended four games.
He was waived on September 5 and re-signed to the practice squad the next day. He was released from the practice squad on October 6.
Cincinnati Bengals
Harris was signed by the Cincinnati BengalsCincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
on October 13. He played his first game with the Bengals October 18 against his former team the Houston Texans.