Monte Harrison Goes From 10-Year Pro Baseball Career To Walk-On Receiver For Arkansas At 29 Years Old

There aren’t many times in life that athletes are given the opportunity to live out two different dreams when it comes to playing sports. For Monte Harrison, the chance to play baseball at the professional level was his first choice, and now he's getting his shot at playing football with the Arkansas Razorbacks. 

The former four-star recruit of the 2014 class had originally committed to play football at Nebraska, but his talents on the baseball field would take him in on a different path. There was always a chance that the two-sport athlete out of high school in Missouri could play baseball, but after being selected in the second round of the 2014 MLB draft by the Milwaukee Brewers and having a $1.8 million bonus presented to him, Monte Harrison chose baseball over college football. 

It was an opportunity that the now 28-year-old could not pass up coming out of high school, putting his football career on-hold while he pursued his dream of playing professional baseball. After paying his dues in the minor league system, playing for the Single-A Carolina Mudcats in 2017, he was traded to the Miami Marlins where he actually made his debut for the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, who were the Triple-A team for the Marlins. 

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - JULY 10: Monte Harrison #13 of the Los Angeles Angels flips his bat after hitting a two-run home run in the third inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on July 10, 2022 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)

After continuing to make an impression on scouts in the Miami front office, he was finally called up to the majors, making his debut against the Baltimore Orioles in August 2020. It was during his eleventh game as an MLB player that he hit his first home run. He ended his professional stint with two homers and six RBI's. Following his MLB run, he was sent back down in 2021, but did get one more shot at the majors, playing for the Los Angeles Angels, but his time playing baseball came to an end in 2023. 

So, what do you do when one door closes after ten years, but you still have the god-given ability to be an athlete? You go back to college and start working on the second half of that dream. 

Monte Harrison Chooses To Walk-On At Arkansas, Get His Degree

For the former Nebraska commit, getting an opportunity to play college football was an opportunity he could not pass up, even at the age of 28. After celebrating his birthday last Saturday, Monte Harrison is a 29-year-old college freshman, who is already showcasing his skills on the offensive side of the ball. 

One of the luxuries for Harrison is that he still has four-years of eligibility remaining because he never enrolled in college, which would have started his clock. Initially, he chose Nebraska in 2014 over Arkansas, Missouri and Michigan, along with others. But now, he's suiting up for the Razorbacks, with a good chance at seeing the playing field this season. 

For starting quarterback Taylen Green, he is already seeing the potential in Harrison, who arrived this summer. 

"One thing that sticks out to me is just his motor," Taylen Green told reporters about Harrison. "Anything that the coaches ask him to do, he doesn’t say no. He had one of the largest player loads in the scrimmage. That just speaks volumes. He said, ‘bro, I was tired’ but you couldn’t really tell. He was running full speed, doing all the routes and all the special teams. That’s what really stood out the most to me."

And it should be noted that it wasn't as if Monte Harrison was just an average recruit back in 2014, as he was ranked as the 5th overall prospect from the state of Missouri coming out of high school. 

It also helps that Harrison was able to make enough money during his time playing baseball that he could afford to walk-on at Arkansas. Who knows, maybe he proves himself this season on the field, whether that's playing on special teams, or in a backup role, and receives a scholarship next year. Only time will tell, but judging by his size and strength, he could be a weapon for the Razorbacks once he gets fully acclimated back to football. 

According to reports from Arkansas practice, Harrison got his opportunity to work with the first-team at practice on Monday. 

As backup quarterback Malachi Singleton pointed out, he might be a little rusty, but his teammates are already seeing his potential, just as coaches did over a decade ago. 

"He’s about 6-3, 225-230, is fast and he has really good hands. He can make any catch in the books. You can tell he’s a little rusty just coming from baseball, but he’s gonna be a really big piece for us this year for sure."

However this plays out for Monte Harrison, he's not letting his age dictate his plans. 

If there's one school that is worthy of a special story regarding a walk-on, it's definitely the Arkansas Razorbacks.