ENGLEWOOD, Colo. –In 2007, Chris Harris Jr. and Aqib Talib lined up together as cornerbacks for the Kansas Jayhawks.
That year they combined for 131 tackles, seven interceptions and 17 pass breakups.
In 2014, they'll take the field together once again. This time, it'll be for the Denver Broncos.
"I'm real excited to get a chance to play with him again," Talib said. "He's coming off that injury, he's doing real good now. I've seen him. He looked good. I'm just looking forward to getting a chance to play opposite of him again."
Talib signed with the Broncos earlier this offseason, bringing with him 23 career interceptions with four pick-sixes in his six years of NFL experience.
Through three years of NFL action, Harris has recorded seven interceptions and a pair of pick-sixes.
"I'm excited to play with him," Harris echoed. "People don't understand – when me and him were in college, we went 12-1 and won the Orange Bowl. To be able to line up across from him again – I know he's a competitor, and he knows I am."
It's been five years since the two were teammates and both have improved as players in that span. Talib,
who was drafted 20th overall by Tampa Bay in 2008, is considered one of the top shutdown cornerbacks in the league.
Harris, who joined the Broncos as a college free agent in 2011, was named to the NFL All-Rookie Team by the PFW/PFWA and Football Outsiders that year.
"It's kind of crazy, because he was a (redshirt) junior when I was in college and I was just a little baby," Harris laughed. "I'm 24 now and he's a little bit older, so I'm a lot better than I was at that time."
Harris said he helped bring Talib to the Broncos this offseason as the Broncos' negotiations with Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie didn't pan out.
"I was definitely recruiting him," Harris said. "I was letting him know if things did not work out with DRC that we'd definitely be hitting him up. He didn't believe me, but right when he saw that on Twitter, he called me right then just letting me know."
Harris Jr. was at the Broncos' facility, as he has been every day, working on his knee rehab when Talib signed his contract with the team.
Since that day, Harris has remained in contact with Talib, and said he'd continue to help his new teammate as Talib gets ready to move to Denver and start the next chapter of his career with the Broncos.
"He's trying to figure out where he'll stay and things like that," Harris said. "He's just talking football, knowing the scheme. He knows I know pretty much the whole entire defense.
"I just explained to him, we play a lot of man here, so get ready for no help," he laughed.
