He played college football at Illinois State and was selected in the seventh round of the 2014 NFL draft by the Oakland Raiders, where he spent his first two seasons.

In 2012, he started all thirteen games as the Redbirds reached the FCS national quarterfinals, and he was named to the all-MVFC first-team.

[1] Harris was selected by the Oakland Raiders in the seventh round of the 2014 NFL draft with the 235th overall pick.

[8] On September 11, 2017, on Monday Night Football Harris saved the game for the Broncos with a late-game block of a field goal by Los Angeles Chargers rookie Younghoe Koo.

[9] Harris went on to have the most productive season of his career, recording 34 tackles, 3 passes defended, and 5.5 sacks, the last of which was good for second on the team behind teammate Von Miller.

Harris intercepted Ben Roethlisberger in the endzone to prevent a would-be game-tying touchdown and seal an upset win for the Broncos.

[11] In the final game of the season against the Oakland Raiders, he preserved the Broncos' 16–15 victory by knocking down Derek Carr's pass on what would have been the game-winning two-point conversion.

[16] He started 11 games in 2020, recording 32 tackles, 2.5 sacks, one forced fumble, and seven pass deflections, which tied for the league lead for defensive lineman.

[21] Harris was featured on WNYC's podcast "Death, Sex and Money" on September 5, 2020, with host Anna Sale.