This week, I'm going to give some love to Nic Harris. At Oklahoma, Harris was a beast on defense, a three-time All-Big 12 selection playing everything from cornerback to safety to middle linebacker.
In the pros? Well, he's a bit of a question mark. Where do you put a guy who is 6-2, 230 pounds, primarily played safety in college, and did so in Brent Venables' rather unorthodox ultra-aggressive defensive scheme? At his Pro Day on March 10, Harris impressed scouts with his footwork, but there was still no consensus on whether he'd play safety or linebacker at the next level. He worked out at OLB during the Senior Bowl practice week, struggled, then tweaked a hamstring, causing him to miss the actual game.
When it comes down to it, Harris is no different than a college shooting guard who may be better suited to play point guard in the pros. He's the hated "tweener." If teams want a guy who lays people out, can hit with the best of them and hold his own in coverage packages whether at outside linebacker or safety he's a solid prospect. If they want a sure thing at a certain position without any question marks, then Harris might get left in the weeds.
My gut? He'll be a fantastic pro regardless of what position he plays. A smart team will take him early in the second day and will reap the benefits next year.