Darien Harris is moving on from his alma mater to the NFL.
The former Michigan State linebacker and team captain is leaving his job in the university’s athletic department to become the director of player engagement for the New York Giants.
Harris played a major role spearheading name, image and likeness efforts for the Spartans. It’s the latest shakeup at 1855 Place after [athletic director Alan Haller was fired earlier this month](https://www.mlive.com/spartans/2025/05/michigan-state-fires-athletic-director-alan-haller-after-short-tenure.html) by president Kevin Guskiewicz.
The multi-talented Harris spent more than three seasons on the football staff with the Spartans before moving to the athletic department. He was named assistant AD/NIL and special advisor to the AD in July 2023 and a year ago had his title changed to assistant AD/business development and NIL strategy.
The departures of Haller and Harris come amid landmark changes to college athletics with universities expected in July to start sharing about $20 million a year in revenue sharing with athletes. That still requires the House settlement to be passed.
Harris, a Maryland native, was a two-year starting linebacker for the Spartans and a co-captain as a senior in 2015 when they won a Big Ten title and reached the College Football Playoff. He spent time in the CFL, was an analyst on the Big Ten Network and worked at Quicken Loans before joining former coach Mel Tucker’s staff in 2020 as director of player engagement while fulfilling a variety of roles.
Guskiewicz is still searching for an athletic director and on Wednesday told the Detroit News he is down to seven finalists for the job.