Saints announce signing of DT Zxavian Harris

By Ross Jackson

It took almost a week, but the New Orleans Saints have officially announced the signing of undrafted Ole Miss defensive tackle Zxavian Harris. 

The signing was initially reported six days before by Nick Underhill of NewOrleans.Football, but the team hadn’t formally announced the deal even before releasing their rookie minicamp roster, in which he was not named. 

The Saints have agreed to sign Ole Miss DT Zxavian Harris, per source.

— Nick Underhill (@nick_underhill) May 1, 2026

His not being on the rookie minicamp list wasn’t a massive surprise. He is recovering from an offseason surgery that had him in a boot during the NFL Scouting Combine. However, the lack of announcement around his signing was peculiar. Perhaps though, it’s as simple as the injury requiring additional conversations ahead of a deal getting done. 

In any case, the Saints have now added the 6-foot-7, 330-pound interior defender to their offseason roster. He brings a skill set that could be very valuable to New Orleans, who spent a good amount of effort vetting the young player, who has a marred past. 

Looking to recoup from that, Harris lands in a strong team culture that provides him a promising opportunity to prove himself and earn a role that could get him in the field sooner rather than later in the league. 

The Saints have a history, from Tyeler Davison to Shy Tuttle to Malcolm Roach, of undrafted interior lineman carving out roles. Even with a new coaching staff, it seems more than possible Harris can continue the track record with his on-field play. 

Although he is not expected to be available for this week’s rookie minicamp practices, Harris will be a name to watch once he does hit the Saints’ practice field this summer during OTAs or camp. 

His build, strength and positional versatility could all help him carve out a role in the Crescent City.