Duriel Harris was a 5'11" wide receiver for the New Mexico State Aggies. Miami picked him up with their third round pick of the 1976 NFL Entry Draft with the 80th overall pick.
Harris wore number 26 during his rookie season, starting two games at wide receiver out of 12 overall appearances. He finished the season with a team third-best 372 yards on 22 catches, scoring once. He enjoyed his first career 100 yard game in a week 11 17-16 loss to the Baltimore Colts, gaining 116 yards and five touchdowns. He also specialized as a return man, gaining 559 yards on 17 kickoffs for an NFL leading 32.9 yards per return. The Dolphins finished the season 6-8, while Harris was honored with a first team All-NFL selection by Pro Football Weekly.
In 1977, Harris started wearing the number 82 jersey, a number he would retain throughout his Miami career. He appeared in every game for the Dolphins, starting four. He finished second on the team in each receiving category, catching 34 passes for 601 yards and five touchdowns. He caught four passes for 127 yards in a week four loss to the Colts, 45-28 and caught two touchdown passes on five receptions for 91 yards in a week eight victory over the New York Jets. Miami posted a respectable 10-4 record, but missed out on the playoffs.
Harris appeared in every game in 1978, starting 15 at wideout and also reclaiming his position as Miami's chief kickoff return man, taking back 29 kicks for 657 yards. He also led the team with 654 receiving yards, catching 45 passes and scoring three touchdowns. Harris was remarkably consistent, catching at least two passes in every game that season. Miami finished at 11-5, qualifying for the playoffs as a wildcard.
1979 would see Harris improve on his previous career high in yardage, finishing with a team second best 798 yards on 42 catches for three touchdowns. He started 14 of 15 games at receiver, breaking the 100-yard barrier on four occasions. This includes a 10 catch, 180 yard performance with one score in a week nine 27-7 victory over the Green Bay Packers. Miami won the AFC East title with a 10-6 record. He caught three passes for 61 yards and a score in the Dolphins Divisional Playoff matchup, a 34-14 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Harris was limited by injury to 12 games in 1980, starting three. He still managed to gain a team second-best 583 receiving yards on 33 catches, scoring twice. Miami missed the playoffs with an underwhelming 8-8 record.
In 1981, Harris posted a career and team high 53 catches for 911 yards and two touchdowns. He had three 100-yards games on the season, including a six catch, 165 yard performance in a week eight 28-27 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Miami won the AFC East with an 11-4-1 record. Harris gained 106 yards on six catches in the "Epic in Miami" 41-38 playoff overtime loss to the San Diego Chargers.
1982 was shortened to nine games due to the players strike. Harris started eight of nine regular season games, gaining a team second best 331 yards on 17 catches, scoring one touchdown. Miami won three playoff matchups before running into the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl XVII. Harris caught six more passes for 94 games through the four playoff games.
In 1983, Miami won the AFC East with a 12-4 record. Harris started three of 12 games for Miami, catching 15 passes for 260 yards and one touchdown. He gained 109 yards on four catches and a score in a week two 34-24 victory over the New England Patriots.
After spending the 1984 season between the Cleveland Browns and the Dallas Cowboys, Harris would rejoin the Dolphins for the 1985 campaign, appearing in six games and making three catches for 24 yards. Miami finished the season at 12-4, winning the AFC East and getting to the AFC title game.
In nine seasons for the Dolphins, Harris scored 18 touchdowns on 269 catches, ranking sixth on Miami's all-time yardage list with 4,534 yards, starting 61 of 111 games.