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Harris was one of the Wildcats' top defensive performers at linebacker last season — and the voice of the room. 

Transfer linebacker Everett Roussaw is stepping into Harris' role, but in a different way: he's a one-year player and college football journeyman who looks to have a profound impact at Arizona.  

So far, Roussaw has been a "really pleasant surprise" this spring, said second-year Arizona defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales. 

"Everett Roussaw is a far better off-the-ball football player than I anticipated because a lot of the stuff that he did (previously) was up on the line of scrimmage, like the way Riley (Wilson) was at Montana," Gonzales said. "What he's been able to do off the ball is fantastic."

The 6-2, 235-pound Roussaw "plays with violence" and "he's done some things schematically and natural as a football player," said Gonzales, who added, "he's a neat young man. He comes in every day with a smile, he wants to get better, he approaches everything like, 'I'm going to beat your tail in it.'" 

Roussaw grew up with seven siblings — he's the middle child — in Atlanta. His parents, Everett Roussaw Sr. and Tanesha Williams, didn't graduate high school, so "their biggest thing was making sure all of their kids exceeded them."

"My father instilled the tools in me to carry myself anywhere across the world," Roussaw said. "My parents, they're my best friends, and I talk to them every single day. ... My goal in life is to always make my parents proud.

"Every day I wake up, I try to do that. My siblings, as well. I'm the second male in my family to go to college. ... Playing football at this level, that's always been my dream as a kid."

Growing up in Atlanta, it was easy for Roussaw to fall in love with football. He used to watch highlights of Anthony Edwards on YouTube. Yes, ³Ù³ó²¹³ÙÌýAnthony Edwards, the NBA superstar, who grew up a football star. 

"I used to watch him on YouTube playing for the Atlanta Vikings, like, 'Man, I want to do that,'" Roussaw said. "There's always been constant inspiration from people older than me in the community. ... The standard was to always chase growing up in the big city like that." 

Roussaw led Cedar Grove High School to state championships in 2019 and ’21, before starting his college career at UAB in 2023. Roussaw played two seasons under former head coach and Super Bowl-winning quarterback Trent Dilfer. 

At UAB, Roussaw played in 23 games and made eight starts as a true freshman. He recorded 125 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, four sacks and two fumble recoveries. 

Roussaw transferred to Memphis and had 64 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, four pass breakups and an interception in his lone season with the Tigers.

"My whole college career overall has been very unique because I've been able to take small pieces from every school and apply it to the next situation," Roussaw said. "My first school, we weren't that successful, but I was able to learn to control what you can control and focus on that; I was able to take that to my next school.

"At Memphis, never got comfortable or never got complacent and keep pushing, and that's a good tool to use here because coming off a hot season last year, the whole team, we can't get comfortable. Being able to learn little tools like that has helped me everywhere that I go." 

When Roussaw was looking for a school in the transfer portal this offseason, Arizona "was an easy decision, to be honest, with the love and culture here," he said.

"I came on my visit and I really didn't know what to expect," Roussaw added. "The constant communication from the coaches, it was phenomenal. For me to travel across the country and go to a school away from my family, I want to be at a place like this. These guys are going to be my family and I'm loved here. I had nothing bad to say about my visit, so it was a no-brainer. Why not?" 

Arizona's defensive scheme under Gonzales is "very similar (to UAB and Memphis) with the exoticness, I'll say that, being able to get to so many different fronts and so many different looks."

The biggest difference between Gonzales' defense and others, "I feel like this defense gives the linebackers a little bit more freedom," Roussaw said. Gonzales said the addition of players like Roussaw, Georgetown transfer Cooper Blomstrom and freshman Dash Fifita — along with Kennedy, Brown, Myron Robinson, Jabari Mann and Leviticus Su'a, among others, returning — will allow the Wildcats to have two-, three- or even four-linebacker lineups, similar to last season. 

"We rotate a lot and all of us can do every single position as far as on the ball or off the ball," said the Arizona linebacker. "My last defense, the linebackers get stuck on the ball before a play. They have similarities and differences, but this one is more exotic and gives more different disguises."

Added Roussaw: "Playing for Coach G is great. The freedom this defense gives the linebackers is second to none. We have a lot of fun on the daily and create certain disguises, and the freedom helps us play tremendously. Coach G definitely loves to reach out and have personal relationships with us. It makes it easier on the field. ... Our connection and relationship is so good, it makes it easier to be coached." 

After a month of settling into Arizona's defensive system this spring, "Everett has been really good," Kennedy said. 

"The most impressive thing about him is how he wants to learn off the field," said Kennedy. "We're always on the board drawing up stuff. With him, it translates on the field. He's physical, fast and twitchy. I feel like with him, he's going to have a great role in the system. He's a guy who wants it, and you can tell on and off the field." 

At this time next year, Roussaw could be one of the many Wildcats hoping to hear their name called at the NFL Draft. For now, "I'm just trying to focus on one thing at a time, I'm not going to lie," he said.

"One day at a time, one practice at a time," Roussaw said. "Just leaning on my coaches. Whatever they say, I'm going to do my best to work on it. God's plan is greater than all of ours. Just one day at a time."