Top analyst predicts UK for Damien Harris

The opinion among more and more recruiting media that five-star Madison Southern running back Damien Harris will end up at the University of Kentucky gained some steam on Wednesday with the prediction by Rivals.com analyst Mike Farrell - one of the most thoughtful and respected guys in the industry - that Harris will pick the Wildcats.

Farrell, in his weekly "Mind of Mike" column, wrote that "there is too much thinking going on when it comes to breaking down Harris' favorites and the answer is right in front of our faces -- he's going to Kentucky."

Farrell notes the Harris has been an unofficial visitor to nearly all of UK's home games this year, including three straight, and is likely to take an official visit to Lexington Oct. 25 for the Wildcats' showdown with No. 1 Mississippi State.

Farrell writes that Harris enjoyed an official visit to Ohio State - once considered the likely team to beat - "but it wasn't enough to shake him from the comfort level of home. Kentucky is off to a 5-1 start, they control their own destiny in the SEC East and this is a team that has lived up to the Mark Stoops vision." Harris is also considering Ohio State, Alabama, Florida and Texas A&M.

Farrell guess that Harris won't end up taking all five of his allotted official visits but will end up taking ones to UK and Alabama.

Farrell summarizes his take on Harris: "Of course, this is all based on speculation, secondary sources and the like because he has been so well-guarded from the media, but the more he visits Lexington and the more they win, the more I see him ending up playing for Stoops."

Another prominent national analyst, J.C. Shurbutt of 247Sports.com, also changed his Crystal Ball pick for Harris to UK over the weekend. UK now slightly trails Ohio State on Harris' Crystal Ball and has picked up all the recent predictions from the recruiting media.

Harris is still recovering from a knee injury he suffered two weeks ago in a loss to Southwestern. It kept him out of last week's ESPNU-televised game against Pulaski County. During the broadcast, the commentators described Harris' injury as a sprained MCL.

Harris tweeted Wednesday that he was disappointed to learn he'll be spending another week on crutches. He was on crutches the last two Saturdays when he visited UK's games against South Carolina and Louisiana Monroe.

Harris, the nation's No. 1 running back, has run for 1,420 yards and 23 touchdowns in six games. That included two games - the season opener that was called after halftime due to stormy weather and the game in which he was injured - that Harris played only a half.