| No. 56 – Cincinnati Bengals | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Linebacker | ||
| Personal information | |||
| Born: | May 13, 1998 Knoxville, Tennessee, U.S. | ||
| Height: | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||
| Weight: | 238 lb (108 kg) | ||
| Career information | |||
| High school: | Karns (Karns, Tennessee) | ||
| College: | Oklahoma State (2017–2021) | ||
| NFL draft: | 2022 / Round: 6 / Pick: 193 | ||
| Career history | |||
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| Roster status: | Active | ||
| Career NFL statistics as of 2023 | |||
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| Player stats at NFL.com · PFR | |||
Devin Harper (born May 13, 1998) is an American football linebacker for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Oklahoma State.
Harper attended Karns High School. He was a two-way player at running back and linebacker. As a junior in 2015, he was a part of a winless team.
As a senior in 2016, he contributed to a 3-7 record, while collecting 1,403 rushing yards, 18 touchdowns, 40 tackles (5.5 for loss), 2 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and averaging 213 all-purpose yards per game.[1] He rushed for 345 yards in a single-game against South-Doyle High School. He received All-District and All-Knoxville Interscholastic League honors.[2]
He also practiced basketball and track. As a senior, he led the basketball team to the sectional round of the District 3-A Playoffs, while receiving District 3-AAA Player of the Year and All-Region honors.[3]
Harper accepted a football scholarship from Oklahoma State University, with the intention of playing linebacker. As a redshirt freshman in 2017, he played mostly playing on special teams, tallying 5 tackles and one blocked punt.
As a sophomore in 2018, he appeared in all 13 games with one start, recording 44 total tackles (5 for loss), 2.5 sacks, one pass defensed, one forced fumble and an interception returned for a touchdown. He had 9 tackles against the University of Kansas.
Harper played through a painful junior year in 2019, wearing a cast during a part of the season.[4] He appeared in 10 games with one start. He amassed 34 total tackles (5 for loss) and 3 sacks. He had 6 tackles against the University of Kansas.
As a senior in 2020, he appeared in all 11 played with one start. Two games were canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He posted 37 tackles (sixth on the team), 5.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, one interception and one pass defensed.[5] Harper was also an All-Big 12 academic honoree.[6] He had 5 tackles against West Virginia University.
As a super senior in 2021, he enjoyed his best season, becoming a full-time starter along with being voted a team captain. He started 13 out of 14 games, finishing the season with 96 tackles (second on the team), 10 tackles for loss, 6 sacks (third on the team), 15 quarterback hurries (second in school history), 2 passes defensed, one forced fumble and 2 fumble recoveries.[7] In the 2021 Bedlam matchup against Oklahoma, he was a key part in defending their offense, tying a career-high 10 tackles (7 solo), and with less than 2 minutes left in the game, he forced a throwaway pass, a 5-yard loss sack, tackled quarterback Caleb Williams short of the first down marker on three consecutive plays, while helping the Cowboys close a 37-33 win.[8] He had 10 tackles in the 2022 Fiesta Bowl, contributing to one off the biggest rallies in school history for a 37-35 win against the University of Notre Dame.[9]
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 0+1⁄4 in (1.84 m) |
234 lb (106 kg) |
31+7⁄8 in (0.81 m) |
8+7⁄8 in (0.23 m) |
4.50 s | 1.57 s | 2.56 s | 4.03 s | 6.84 s | 40.5 in (1.03 m) |
9 ft 11 in (3.02 m) |
21 reps | |
| All values from Pro Day[10] | ||||||||||||
Harper was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the sixth round, 193rd overall, of the 2022 NFL Draft.[11] He was placed on injured reserve with Achilles tendinitis on October 29, 2022.[12] He appeared in 3 games, playing mostly on special teams.
In the 2023 NFL season, due to DeMarvion Overshown's season-ending injury, Harper was made first-string strongside linebacker on the Cowboys' depth chart.[13][14] He was waived by the team on September 28.
On September 29, 2023, Harper was claimed off waivers by the Cincinnati Bengals.[15] Harper plays for the team solely in a special teams role on return coverage.
Harper was born to his parents Kevin and Alacia. He is the older brother of Notre Dame Safety, Thomas Harper.