It's not often that teams can add a standout veteran to their roster less than two weeks before the start of the season, but that's exactly what LSU has done twice in the last week. Sources tell CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz that former Ole Miss star defensive lineman Zxavian Harris is expected to land with the Tigers after a brief stint with the New Orleans Saints.
Harris is taking advantage of a recent Louisiana ruling, under which athletes from the Class of 2022 have received temporary restraining orders to gain a fifth year of eligibility. LSU has already made plans to add tight end Dae'Quan Wright, who seems destined for a return to college football after being waived by the Cleveland Browns.
Most recently, Harris was in training camp with the Saints after going undrafted in 2026. The Saints waived Harris on Aug. 8, and he hasn't landed with another NFL team, so it is expected that he will reunite with his former head coach in Baton Rouge.
A four-star recruit in the 2022 signing class, Harris really broke out as a senior last fall. He was a key cog in the Rebels' defense -- wreaking havoc in the middle of the line to the tune of 58 tackles, 9.0 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks. That was enough to get Harris invited to the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.
Throughout his college career, Harris has appeared in 52 games, and he's accumulated 123 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. Interior defensive line was going to be a question mark for LSU in 2026, but they may have just found a big answer with Harris.
LSU addresses a big need
Throughout the offseason, LSU was viewed as a legitimate College Football Playoff contender, mainly because the Tigers boast what might be the most expensive roster in the sport.
Kiffin and his staff have spared no expense in hopes of an instant turnaround, but that doesn't mean the roster is flawless. Prior to the addition of Harris, there were some questions in the middle of the defensive line. The Tigers return just 31% of their snaps on the defensive line from last year, which ranks 79th in the country.
Freshmen Deuce Geralds and Richard Anderson -- both highly-touted players -- were expected to factor heavily into that rotation. Talented as they may be, leaning on a freshmen in the trenches can be a gamble in the SEC.
Coming out of spring practice, Blake Ruffino of 247Sports told the "Cover 3 Podcast" that the LSU defensive line was a big question mark after watching it get pushed around by the offensive line at times.
"It gets to a point where, those last two weeks, it was at will," Ruffino said. "I do worry about that defensive line. Now, [five-star defensive lineman] Lamar Brown wasn't there, but my same thought is, 'Are you about to start three true freshmen in the interior of that defensive line?' Yes, it is a concern for me."
The Tigers also need a lot from transfers Malik Blocton (Auburn) and Stephiylan Green (Clemson). Both had experience from their previous spots, but neither player posted eye-popping production.
Now, LSU has proven talent and experience at the defensive tackle position with Harris. The Tigers' depth at that spot now looks much more formidable, which is good because they're playing three of Blake Brockermeyer's top 10 offensive lines this fall.
Have Harris and Kiffin mended fences?
When Kiffin left Oxford for Baton Rouge before the College Football Playoff, he wasn't the most popular man in the Ole Miss locker room. You can certainly count Harris among the players who didn't appreciate the way Kiffin handled things.
At the time, Harris told Chris Low that Kiffin taking the LSU job was "like a slap in the face and then a backhand. We took that personally."
Prior to the Rebels' Fiesta Bowl loss to Miami, there was speculation that Kiffin was trying to join the broadcast, but he ultimately attended an LSU women's basketball game. Harris didn't shy away from blasting Kiffin for attempting to steal the team's limelight after jumping ship.
"That's what Kiffin tried to do," Harris told Low. "He tried to be a damn announcer … trying to be a troll. We were going to troll him. We got something for him. He was just trying to steal our shine. That's all he tried to do. That's all he's been trying to do, is steal our shine."
Apparently, that's all water under the bridge with Harris and Kiffin set to join forces yet again. Another payday and the chance to win a national championship can have that effect on players and coaches.
In the world of modern college football, it's probably best not to burn any bridges because things can change very quickly in an unpredictable landscape.
