Cliff Harris NFL Draft Scouting Report

The best skill that Cliff Harris possesses is his speed, as he can run with any receiver out there; the impeccable footwork also helps him out. However, he isn’t a particularly strong corner and can get easily out-muscled by wideout. The main problem with his small frame (5’10”, 180 pounds) and lack of strength is that he can’t tackle well and is a liability in run support; the word non-factor is not an exaggeration in this case.

Harris has incredible speed and will definitely make an impact as a return man, so only a fool will weigh his combine time heavily. The character concerns are real, but Harris is a guy who will end up being a good No. 2 cornerback for a team. He has the speed and is good enough in coverage, but he will most likely never end up being the No. 1 CB for a team (unless if there isn’t a better corner on the roster).

I say most likely, because not many guys out there are going to be No. 1 corners for an NFL team. However, Cliff Harris has the physical tools and instinctive play to become that type of a player through good coaching and more maturity. This guy has tremendous ball skills and can make play-after-play with surprisingly good technique that makes a dangerous combination with his incredible athleticism and explosiveness; you don’t find this type of talent often.

When looking at his speed, it’s important to note the difference between straight-line speed and speed through cuts. Harris is one of those guys who is better at the latter, as opposed to the former. He needs to bulk up and stop gambling on plays, because many coaches dislike cornerbacks who jump their defensive assignments. Like Asante Samuel, Cliff Harris is one of those guys with the ball skills and ability to be right more often than not. But still, he’s not Samuel and isn’t as refined as the Eagles corner is. He has to stick to his man more often, because he’ll get burned worse and at a higher rate if he continues that type of play in the NFL. Thus, a pump-fake or double move by the receiver can leave Cliff Harris caught out of position. He is aggressive enough to attempt to make the tackle, but like Samuel, he doesn’t come up with it enough. As the typical gambling corner, Harris loves to watch the quarterback, but that leaves him vulnerable to the pump-fake.