Round 5, Pick 147: NIC HARRIS, OLB, Oklahoma

[Ever Since '86]

Thats fine, my posts leading up to the draft show how much I like him as our OLB. Physically speaking, he is a lot like Cushing, who many wanted at 11. Here are the combine numbers I could find.

 

Height Weight Arm Length 40 Yard Reps Hand Length

Brian Cushing USC 6'2 7/8 243 32 1/2" 4.74 30 10"

Nic Harris Oklahoma 6'2 3/8 234 32 1/2" 4.78 15 10 1/8"

 

Almost Identical combines, aside from the bench reps. He position at OK was the "roy" a hybrid ss/lb position. Had a great Sr Bowl where he played only as a LB. Let him adjust to a new position and the NFL level and I think he is a solid starter by week 8. It shouldnt be hard for him to beat out Ellison.

 

To adress his dirst/stupid penalties. IMO they were not the type of dirty penalty you would associate with Rodney Harrison, more like the penalty where Whitner ran down that Raider in the endzone. He always plays hard and through the whistle - hitting guys a bit late or out of bounds. I am a little scared of that but its better to play hard and agressive than shy and scared. He will bring a much needed nasty attitude to our soft defense.

 

 

Just watched some highlights and read some of your previous posts about him and I'm already sold. He looks like a playmaker, not really concerned about the temper it's a good thing if anything

[BillsGuyInMalta]

London Fletcher had a hell of a temper and was a bit "undersized" too.

[DazedandConfused]

The first two are contradictory and the third is just stupid. He's 6'2" 234!!! He's almost exactly the same as DiGiorgio and isn't full sized yet.

 

The assessments are pretty stupid.

 

He has all the looks of a very good 5th round pick by the Bills. The covers like a safety but hits like an LB seems to fit his size and speed demographics and his use at multiple positions at OU.

 

The huge upside of him becoming another Kyle Williams (taken in the 5th wish you had a better position player but since you do not his play is greatly appreciated since unlike most 5th rounders he is an adequate NFL starter) is quite unlikely.

 

However, in this case the logical reason why this could happen is that he was actually a good enough player able to both pass cover and run plug. OU took advantage of this to fill their gaps but Harris may become much better at being an LB (or even at being a safety) if he is allowed/made to concentrate on doing the job at one position.

 

If not, he seems like just the kind of player Bobby April has made shine.

 

Not bad at all in terms of where he seems to fit into our scheme (unlike Nelson who still strikes me as a good pick of him based on individual talent, but in our scheme if we rely on a traditional starting TE Harris is at least a year away from being an adequate NFL starting TE and I think better of him as a starting TE than I do of special team phenom Schouman or the learning Fine.

[colin]

he's a guy with some limits to him, but COULD turn out to be just the kind of LB we want.

 

so many of the highly rated LBs were just not fit in the passing game to play for us. maluaga, cushing, and laurinitis all have moments of brilliance, but i don't think one of them could play the pass like poz at all, so getting one wouldn't really help us.

[bladiebla]

Well they brought him in and drafted him so it obviously means they liked what they saw when they had him over. That aside again this is a playmaker and versatile player which seems to be this years draft theme. To me he does sound like a project player though and tbh 5th seems a bit early for that. Anyway definately ST ability here; but then again we're stacked with ST players.

[Ghost of Rob Johnson]

I don't like this pick. We didn't need another Safety. This guy reminds me of Coy Wire from his description. My only guess is that this was a special teams signing.

who ended up starting at OLB for the falcons last season.

[Steely Dan]

That's a heck of a story. Makes you want to root for the kid.

 

I'll bet dollars to donuts that his effhead parents come out of the woodwork now that he's an NFL player. If they come to TC and I'm there I will personally beat the ever living out of them!!!

[LynchMob23]

Sooners Harris to play LB for Bills

By Chris Brown - Posted April 26th, 2009

 

He played safety at Oklahoma, along with a host of other roles, but in the NFL for the Bills, Nic Harris will play linebacker.

 

Harris is not unlike Keith Ellison, in that he has a safety background in college. Ellison did play his last two collegiate seasons at LB, while Harris only played there on an emergency basis.

 

Typically though it’s easier to transition a player that’s further away from the ball closer to the line of scrimmage than taking a bigger player and transitioning them further from the line of scrimmage.

 

He simply doesn’t have the speed (4.7) to be a defensive back in the league. The Bills said they’ll have him bulk up his frame to around 240 pounds to handle linebacker better.

[BEAST MODE BABY!]

How does this guy compare to Freeman who the Bears took later in the 5th?

[cåblelady]

That's a heck of a story. Makes you want to root for the kid.

I want to adopt him.

[Maguire's Beer]

In 2007, Harris was named to the AFCA Good Works Team and was a semifinalist for the Wooden Citizenship Cup. He was nominated for the FWAA Courage Award and received first-team All-Big 12 Conference honors. He started 13 times at strong safety, delivering 74 tackles (50 solos) and 9.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage that included 3.5 sacks. He caused two fumbles, broke up seven passes and intercepted two others, returning one for a touchdown.

 

A finalist for the Rudy Award that honors Division I players who exemplify "character, courage, contribution and commitment as members of their team," the first-team All-Big 12 Conference and third-team All-American started 14 times, seeing action at strong safety and middle linebacker in 2008. He registered a career-high 75 tackles (47 solos), adding four stops behind the line of scrimmage. He caused three fumbles, recovered another, intercepted one pass and broke up six others.

 

Sounds like a guy with a lot of character, at the very least.

[nuklz2594]

Will he be a lb?

[robkmil]

Will he be a lb?

 

Thats what Chris Brown said, We'll see.

[Lori]

BUFFALO BILLS 5th ROUND (147th Overall) DRAFT PICK S NIC HARRIS

 

Conference Call

 

Sunday, April 26, 2009

 

On the possibility of being a linebacker fulltime:

 

I don’t mind it. It’s a great opportunity to come out and play. I’m just one of those guys that whatever the coach wants me to do, I’m willing to take a shot at it.

 

On if the transition was difficult:

 

It wasn’t hard. I was one of those guys that would come down to the line of scrimmage and hide behind the middle linebacker to cover pretty much fly guys. Right now it’s going to be a different transition for me to move to fulltime linebacker, but like I said, at the beginning of the day I’m extremely elated for the opportunity to come out and play.

 

On being able to gauge the Bills interest in him:

 

I think they were highly interested in me, and I knew that ultimately if it came down to it that they would be one of the teams that would select me. Like I said, I’m extremely elated and ready to get out there and play and I should be out there Thursday.

 

On having a preference to safety or linebacker:

 

No, ultimately my preference is just to be out on the field.

[Justice]

I like this pick a lot. So what if he doesn't amaze at the combine? This kid has great instincts. Give him a year or two and he will be a starter.

[Lofton80]

I love this pick. Harris is a great tackler which is what we need. Too many whiffs by Ellison.

[Justice]

Thats fine, my posts leading up to the draft show how much I like him as our OLB. Physically speaking, he is a lot like Cushing, who many wanted at 11. Here are the combine numbers I could find.

 

Height Weight Arm Length 40 Yard Reps Hand Length

Brian Cushing USC 6'2 7/8 243 32 1/2" 4.74 30 10"

Nic Harris Oklahoma 6'2 3/8 234 32 1/2" 4.78 15 10 1/8"

 

Almost Identical combines, aside from the bench reps. He position at OK was the "roy" a hybrid ss/lb position. Had a great Sr Bowl where he played only as a LB. Let him adjust to a new position and the NFL level and I think he is a solid starter by week 8. It shouldnt be hard for him to beat out Ellison.

 

To adress his dirty/stupid penalties. IMO they were not the type of dirty penalty you would associate with Rodney Harrison, more like the penalty where Whitner ran down that Raider in the endzone. He always plays hard and through the whistle - hitting guys a bit late or out of bounds. I am a little scared of that but its better to play hard and agressive than shy and scared. He will bring a much needed nasty attitude to our soft defense.

 

 

Look again, Cushing is twice as strong.

[Sisyphean Bills]

The size thing is a red herring. He fits our Tampa 2 system as an OLB, because we want OLBs that can play zone pass coverage & cover a space and, like the Colts, don't mind smaller players on our D. Now, everyone does not need to love the system, but it is the system we're using, until Dick and Fewell are sent packing anyway.

[KevinRome]

I watched some of his videos, and I like this tackling technique. There were several open field tackles in the highlights, he appears to have been well coached.