Selection 3 - 60: Brandon "Blanket" Harris

[PockyAF]

WADE PHILLIPS =

[nytexan]

Profootball Weekly info:

As a true freshman in 2008, started 6-of-13 games at left cornerback and posted 30 tackles, three pass breakups and one interception. Also returned 13 kickoffs for 274 yards (21.1-yard average). Started all 13 games in ’09 — nine at LCB, four at nickel — and tied for third nationally in passes defended (17), logging 58-15-2 with six tackles for loss, a sack and three forced fumbles. Added 2-63 (31.5) on kickoff returns. In ’10, posted 44-10-1 with one tackle for loss and one forced fumble in 13 starts. Also ran track for the Hurricanes.

Positives: Well-proportioned build. Football-smart and instinctive — has a feel for the game. Natural bender with quickness and fluid movement skills. Transitions smoothly without wasted movement. Outstanding production on the ball. Aggressive in run support and is a physical, aggressive tackler. Has lined up inside and outside. Mentally tough coach’s son. Well-respected by teammates and coaches. Is passionate about football and works at his craft. Tough, durable and smart.

Negatives: Lacks ideal height and has short arms and small hands. Could stand to improve press strength. Lacks elite top-end speed and recovery burst. Tends to clutch and grab in the slot. Did not consistently lock receivers down. Could stand to hone zone eyes, ball recognition and finishing ability — produced only four interceptions in three years. Struggled to match up with the size of Notre Dame’s Michael Floyd in the Sun Bowl.

Summary: Measured smaller than scouts would like but is a confident, competitive, instinctive, physical corner with a balanced skill set and no glaring weaknesses. Possesses natural cover skills, a balanced skill set and a professional makeup that should enable him to become a solid, dependable starter.

NFL projection: First-round pick.

[CloakNNNdagger]

I don't know that I can listen to 610 and their spinning anymore..........

"We just got 2 picks...........Quinn moves to safety."

We still have no starting CB that we can reasonably to step in. He's not a starter.....at best a nickel...............and we have no 3rd and 5th.

I'm sorry, I have a great deal of trouble getting excited.

[jaayteetx]

Originally Posted by CloakNNNdagger

I don't know that I can listen to 610 and their spinning anymore..........

"We just got 2 picks...........Quinn moves to safety."

We still have no starting CB that we can reasonably to step in. He's not a starter.....at best a nickel...............and we have no 3rd and 5th.

I'm sorry, I have a great deal of trouble getting excited.

I'm with ya on this one. We need to pick up a veteran or two to add to the secondary, IMO.

[infantrycak]

Highlights.

We just got a guy projected to be late 1st or early 2nd. Why is that a bad thing?

[kiwitexansfan]

I think its value.

If Glover is the answer at safety and this enables it I am ok with it.

If Glover is not, our CBs are still going to look AWFUL with bad safety play, no matter who the corner is, even a big name FA.

[The Cush]

ESPN Insider's scouting report...

Production

2 2008: (13/6) 30 total tackles, 2 TFL, 1 sack, 3 PBU, 1 INT. 2009: (13/13) 52 total tackles, 6 TFL, 1 sack, 15 PBU, 2 INT.2010: (13/13) 44 total tackles, 1 TFL, 10 PBU, INT.

Height-Weight-Speed

3 A bit on the short side but has prototypical bulk and possesses excellent top-end speed.

Durability

1 Played in all 39 games during his three seasons at Miami.

Intangibles

1 All-ACC Academic Team in 2008. Hard worker. Passionate about the game. Coaches' son (father, Tim Harris, was named USA Today National High School Coach of the Year in 2007).

1 = Exceptional2 = Above average3 = Average4 = Below average5 = Marginal

Cornerback Specific Traits

Instincts/Recognition

3 Does not get caught peeking in the backfield. Shows good natural instincts in man-to-man coverage. Showed improvement during junior season with recognition/reaction in zone coverage. Is confident in his ability, will not back down versus top competition and has proven capable of immediately bouncing back from mistakes. Also not afraid to mix it up.

Cover Skills

2 A very good natural athlete with quick feet, great balance and fluid hips. Could be more compact in his pedal but shows good burst out of it and excellent closing speed when the ball is in the air. Does a nice job of wrapping up and limiting yards after catch. Is physical enough to hold up in bump-and-run coverage in the NFL, but needs work on technique and get more game reps.

Ball Skills

3 Knows when to attack the ball and when to attack the body. Does not have great INT production and lacks elite playmaking ability. Can have trouble turning and locating the ball in a timely manner on occasion. However, he flashes solid hands. Can pluck away from his frame and over his head.

Run Support

2 Has adequate size, strength and enough willingness to become an effective run support cornerback in the NFL. Takes solid angles when pursuing from the backside. Can do a better job of finishing in space. Shows adequate power for the position but leads with his shoulder too frequently and needs to learn when to break down and wrap up.

1 = Exceptional2 = Above average3 = Average4 = Below average5 = Marginal

His Scout's Inc's grade was an 85

[kiwitexansfan]

Would rather have waited and gone DT or true S.

[Blake]

Originally Posted by CloakNNNdagger

we have no 3rd and 5th.

You are right that we have no 5th. But we turned our 3rd into a 2nd.

[jaayteetx]

Originally Posted by infantrycak

Highlights.

We just got a guy projected to be late 1st or early 2nd. Why is that a bad thing?

Not sure how he is gonna match up against big, powerful NFL wide outs.

[PockyAF]

Originally Posted by CloakNNNdagger

I don't know that I can listen to 610 and their spinning anymore..........

"We just got 2 picks...........Quinn moves to safety."

We still have no starting CB that we can reasonably to step in. He's not a starter.....at best a nickel...............and we have no 3rd and 5th.

I'm sorry, I have a great deal of trouble getting excited.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

Hopefully the Texans, with an actual competent DC, will learn that starting a rookie CB along with a 2nd young CB is a horrid decisions.

Lance Z wrote a while back that we're going to show a huge amount of interests in Ike Taylor, which would be a tremendous addition to our young secondary if we manage to get him. Hopefully that's not just smoke and there's a bonfire, being fueled by a propane tank, to it.

Plus, LZ been advocating Quin manning one of the safeties spot since the day we draft him, so I'm excited to see Wade put that idea in play.

I'll be very comfortable with this line up in our backfield:

LCB - Ike Taylor
SS - TBD
FS - Glover Quin
RCB - KJack

Nickle - Jason Allen
Dime - Brandon Harris (bring him up properly)

[ATXtexanfan]

i'm good with our three picks so far, why not move up and improve the secondary. big drop off after him

[Rey]

He's a more physical Brice McCain...

But he's a better corner than Brice McCain.

McMannis, Molden, McCain....I'd like to see us pick up a good vet (Ike Taylor, Nmamdi) and cut one of the aforementioned...

[badboy]

Originally Posted by CloakNNNdagger

I don't know that I can listen to 610 and their spinning anymore..........

"We just got 2 picks...........Quinn moves to safety."

We still have no starting CB that we can reasonably to step in. He's not a starter.....at best a nickel...............and we have no 3rd and 5th.

I'm sorry, I have a great deal of trouble getting excited.

He is a starter over KJ and if no vet CB he can be the #1 corner. He's better than any CB even Peterson in this draft as he watches the WR rather than looking back at QB. With Quin over the top and our linebackers getting to QB, we will be much better. He doesn't get many INTs but does knock down more passes. Unlike Pbuck that he has been compared to, Harris will tackle. He does not look pretty doing it but almost never misses bringing the WR to the ground. I only wished he was the 5'11" he was listed at prior to combine rather than 5'91/2". If beat, he has make up speed.

[LikeMike]

Originally Posted by CloakNNNdagger

I don't know that I can listen to 610 and their spinning anymore..........

"We just got 2 picks...........Quinn moves to safety."

We still have no starting CB that we can reasonably to step in. He's not a starter.....at best a nickel...............and we have no 3rd and 5th.

I'm sorry, I have a great deal of trouble getting excited.

Outside of Peterson there was no starting CB in this years draft for us. We still need that veteran. But that doesn`t mean, that we can`t use Harris. Pair up the veteran and KJax on the outside, get Quinn to safety and Harris at nickel. Let him fight with KJax for a starting job - great depth, great competition and insurance at our absolute worst position. A first round talent for a 3d and a 5th. I don`t know how that is a bad pick.

[Mr teX]

Good aggressive move that many in here complain that we don't do enough of. In addition to this, the kid has the potential to be a great number 2 if he develops and he could also contribute in special teams. I can't see how people don't like this pick. Our draft so far is shaping up to be really good so far I mean we basically parlayed our 3rd rounder for a guy that was thought to have 1st round talent. How can you be mad at that?

[Jackie Chiles]

Originally Posted by LikeMike

Outside of Peterson there was no starting CB in this years draft for us. We still need that veteran. But that doesn`t mean, that we can`t use Harris. Pair up the veteran and KJax on the outside, get Quinn to safety and Harris at nickel. Let him fight with KJax for a starting job - great depth, great competition and insurance at our absolute worst position. A first round talent for a 3d and a 5th. I don`t know how that is a bad pick.

Well said, This secondary needs reinforcements from the draft and free agency and drafting Harris in no way limits our options in FA.

[phantom17]

I love this pick & as long it's Wade's guy, then I can't complain! If this guy was 5'11or taller- he would be a mid to late 1st rd pick! I think we could still get a quality guy in the 4th as long as it's pick by Wade!

[phantom17]

Originally Posted by Mr teX

Good aggressive move that many in here complain that we don't do enough of. In addition to this, the kid has the potential to be a great number 2 if he develops and he could also contribute in special teams. I can't see how people don't like this pick. Our draft so far is shaping up to be really good so far I mean we basically parlayed our 3rd rounder for a guy that was thought to have 1st round talent. How can you be mad at that?

I love that our 3 draft picks are graded 1st rd talent by alot of evaluator & mock drafts!

[disaacks3]

Originally Posted by infantrycak

Highlights.

We just got a guy projected to be late 1st or early 2nd. Why is that a bad thing?

It's not bad, but we still need a FA vet that's better (at least this year).

Originally Posted by badboy

He is a starter over KJ and if no vet CB he can be the #1 corner. He's better than any CB even Peterson in this draft as he watches the WR rather than looking back at QB. With Quin over the top and our linebackers getting to QB, we will be much better. He doesn't get many INTs but does knock down more passes. Unlike Pbuck that he has been compared to, Harris will tackle. He does not look pretty doing it but almost never misses bringing the WR to the ground. I only wished he was the 5'11" he was listed at prior to combine rather than 5'91/2". If beat, he has make up speed.

Time to put down the crack pipe and step away. Peterson was the best CB in the draft by a wide margin.