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Justin Harper (American football)

{{Short description|American gridiron football player and coach (born 1985)}}

{{BLP sources|date=May 2022}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}

{{Infobox NFL biography

| name = Justin Harper

| image = Justin Harper 2011 stadium practice.jpg

| caption = Harper at M&T Bank Stadium in August 2011

| current_team = James Madison Dukes

| number =

| position = Wide receivers coach

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1985|2|24}}

| birth_place = Catawba, North Carolina, U.S.

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 3

| weight_lbs = 215

| high_school = Bandys
(Catawba, North Carolina)

| college = Virginia Tech (2004–2007)

| draftyear = 2008

| draftround = 7

| draftpick = 215

| pastteams =

| pastcoaching =

| highlights =

| pfr = HarpJu01

}}

Justin Harper (born February 24, 1985) is an American college football coach and former professional wide receiver. He is the wide receivers coach for James Madison University, a position he has held since 2024. He was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL draft. He played college football at Virginia Tech.

Early life

Harper played football at Bandys High School, where he led his team to the state championship game as a senior, playing both wide receiver and defensive back. He was recruited by Winthrop University to play basketball, but decided late in his senior season to try to become a Division I football player. After graduating, he attended Hargrave Military Academy for one year. Harper was then recruited by Virginia Tech.

College career

Harper appeared in 51 games during his four-year career at Virginia Tech, finishing with 83 catches for 1,338 yards, a 16.1 per-catch average, and nine touchdowns. Harper's best game probably came in his final collegiate contest when he caught four passes for 64 yards (including a 20-yard touchdown), and scored on an 84-yard punt return in the 2008 Orange Bowl against the University of Kansas.

As a senior in 2007, Harper played wide receiver alongside Eddie Royal and Josh Morgan and recorded career highs with 41 catches, 635 receiving yards and five touchdown receptions. Together, Harper, Royal and Morgan combined for 120 catches during their final season at Virginia Tech. As a junior in 2006, Harper finished fourth on the team in receptions with 21 catches for 324 yards and one touchdown. During his sophomore season, he posted 16 catches for 295 yards and one touchdown, which came in the Hokies' 35-24 Gator Bowl victory over Louisville. As a freshman in 2004, he caught five passes for 84 yards and a touchdown.

Professional career

=NFL=

Harper was selected in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL draft by the Baltimore Ravens.{{Cite web |title=2008 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2008/draft.htm |access-date=2023-05-12 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} He would continue as a member of the Ravens for the next three seasons only receiving limited playing time during the preseason. Justin Harper was released prior to the start of the 2011 NFL season.

=CFL=

On March 13, 2012 the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League announced that they had signed Harper to a contract.{{Cite web |url=https://www.cfl.ca/article/riders-add-harper-and-wynn-to-offence |title=Riders add Harper and Wynn to offence |access-date=September 2, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120316202736/http://www.cfl.ca/article/riders-add-harper-and-wynn-to-offence |archive-date=March 16, 2012 |url-status=dead }}

On January 24, 2013 Harper was traded to the BC Lions along with Saskatchewan's third round pick in the 2014 CFL Draft in exchange for slotback Geroy Simon.{{cite web |url=https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=414365 |title=Lions trade Simon to Roughriders for Harper, third-round pick |website=www.tsn.ca |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130127141726/http://www.tsn.ca/cfl/story/?id=414365 |archive-date=2013-01-27}} On May 24, 2013, a 3 days after the Lions signed Emmanuel Arceneaux, Harper was released.{{Cite web |url=https://www.cfl.ca/article/lions-ink-reciever-courtney-taylor-to-contract-extension |title=Released by BC Lions |access-date=September 2, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130925005224/http://www.cfl.ca/article/lions-ink-reciever-courtney-taylor-to-contract-extension |archive-date=September 25, 2013 |url-status=dead }}

Coaching career

He is currently the wide receiver coach at James Madison University. Before this,two years tight ends coach at Old Dominion University.

He served as the interim head coach at Virginia State University and was the wide receivers coach at Towson University in Towson, Maryland.{{Cite Twitter profile|Justin_Harpo}}

References

{{reflist}}

External links

  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20130116061507/http://riderville.com/roster/show/id/4807 Saskatchewan Roughriders bio]
  • [http://www.baltimoreravens.com/People/Players/Practice_Squad/Justin_Harper.aspx Baltimore Ravens bio] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090930025855/http://www.baltimoreravens.com/People/Players/Practice_Squad/Justin_Harper.aspx |date=September 30, 2009 }}
  • [http://www.hokiesports.com/football/players/2007/harper.html Virginia Tech Hokies bio]

{{Ravens2008DraftPicks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Harper, Justin}}

Category:1985 births

Category:Living people

Category:People from Catawba, North Carolina

Category:Players of American football from North Carolina

Category:American football wide receivers

Category:Players of Canadian football from North Carolina

Category:Virginia Tech Hokies football players

Category:Baltimore Ravens players

Category:Saskatchewan Roughriders players

Category:BC Lions players

Category:Canadian football wide receivers

Category:Coaches of American football from North Carolina

Category:Virginia State Trojans football coaches

Category:Towson Tigers football coaches

Category:Old Dominion Monarchs football coaches