The D.C. Defenders released offensive lineman Darius Harper on Wednesday according to Pro Football Newsroom reporter James Larsen.
Darius Harper is six foot seven and weighs 300 pounds. The 27-year-old from Springfield, Ohio, signed with the Los Angeles Chargers as an undrafted free agent on May 1, 2021. He was released by the Chargers on August 30, 2021.
The Birmingham Stallions drafted Harper in the fifth round (36th pick) of the 2022 USFL Draft. He helped the Stallions beat the Philadelphia Stars in the 2022 USFL Championship Game. In 2023, Harper played 9 games, of which seven were starts.
Birmingham’s offense ranked second in passing yards per game (217), first in passing touchdowns (21), third in rushing yards per game (115.6), and seventh in allowed sacks (16) as the Stallions won their second USFL Championship over the Pittsburgh Maulers.
In 2024, Harper played five games. Birmingham’s offense ranked first in total yards (3,475), rushing yards (1,347), second in passing yards (2,128), first in yards per game (347.5), and touchdowns (31) as the Stallions won the UFL Championship over the San Antonio Brahmas 25-0. The Stallions re-signed Harper on August 19, 2024, and later released him on January 30, 2025. The D.C. Defenders claimed him via waivers on January 31, 2025.
Collegiately, Harper played basketball at Miami (OH) for two seasons (2015-16) season averaging 2.9 points per game and 2.1 rebounds per game playing 30 games for the Redhawks.
Harper transitioned to football transferring to Cincinnati (2018-20) playing tackle in 26 games for the Bearcats. In 2020, Cincinnati’s offense averaged an AAC-best 5.6 yards per carry and ran for 212.4 yards per game on the ground. The offensive line allowed an AAC-low nine sacks during the regular season. He was named an All-ACC Honorable Mention.
