The one player who could tilt the scales in the LSU-Ole Miss game is not at all who you think it is
On Saturday, first place in the Southeastern Conference is up for grabs. No. 4 LSU travels to No. 11 Ole Miss and someone is getting its first loss of the season.Lane Kiffin vs Brian Kelly has been fireworks the last two years and this year’s edition is setting up to be another instant classic. Both […]
On Saturday, first place in the Southeastern Conference is up for grabs. No. 4 LSU travels to No. 11 Ole Miss and someone is getting its first loss of the season.
Lane Kiffin vs Brian Kelly has been fireworks the last two years and this year’s edition is setting up to be another instant classic. Both teams have clear weaknesses while also having some really fun things to dissect. One matchup in particular has me keeping a close eye. And it’s the battle in the trenches.
The one player for Ole Miss who could be the difference in a win or a loss is hard to miss. 6-foot-7, 335 pound defensive lineman Zxavian Harris is the x-factor this weekend.
Despite losing leverage due to his size, he is a mammoth in the middle.
Hard to win the leverage battle when you’re 6-foot-7 and playing defense. But, despite being doubled and sometimes tripled, he eats up space and demands attention – helping his teammates run free. This LSU offensive line has struggled mightily thus far in 2025 and Harris could be a huge thorn in the side this weekend.
“That’s my guy man. A lot of times he takes my double team so I can make a play,” William Echoles said this week. “I’m going to miss him.”
The LSU line is still geling and is also not entirely healthy. This spells bad news when going up against an All-SEC caliber player like Harris. I expect him to be the man in the middle Saturday in order to help slow down the LSU rushing attack and help the Ole Miss defense get off the field.
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Are we in for another instant classic?
Zxavian Harris has a ton of versatility, though.
Sure, he’s massive. But Ole Miss defensive line coach Randall Joyner will use him in a variety of ways. Harris played basketball in high school and it shows. Typically those guys are on the other side – lining up at offensive tackle. But, his initial punch is powerful enough he can make tackles and pulling guards look stupid at the point of attack.
It’s not nearly as effective when he comes off the edge, but again at his size, he has to be accounted for. This year versus Kentucky he lined up as a defensive end a few times and it honestly looked like it confused the Wildcats’ offensive line and quarterback Zach Calzada.
Harris has a NFL frame in height, weight and length and scouts love his effort in pursuit. So far this season, Harris has 11 tackles, two sacks, and an interception.
Last summer I spoke with some pro scouts about Zxavian Harris.
The former blue chip prospect from Madison, Miss., was quite the coup for Kiffin and Co. in 2022. He is a human coke machine on the defensive line. Despite the coaching staff thinking a switch to offense could be beneficial for his future endeavors, he has been a pleasant surprise on the defensive side and continues to get better.
“He has a real chance to be special,” one NFL scout told me.
On Saturday, LSU is going to want to run the football against Ole Miss. The Rebels have struggled so far in 2025 to bottle up the run like it did in 2024. But, the unit from last season was filled with NFL stars. For now, Harris looks like he could be next. If he wants to continue to impress NFL general managers and scouts, he will need to be special this weekend.
