2007 | NFL Draft | David Harris – ILB
by oiler on Monday, April 9th, 2007 at 03:39pm
We took a month off for the NHL stretch run, but have returned to feature a select number of NFL prospects eligible for the 2007 NFL Draft.
Today, I’m looking at an inside linebacker from Michigan, David Harris.
The 6′2, 239 pound former Wolverine recorded 103 tackles as a 5th year senior. At the Combine, he ran a 4.59 forty time, a 4.29 short shuttle, and benched 225lbs 23 times. Harris is an above-average-to-great tackler who plays bigger than his size and possesses excellent straight-line speed. He’s not shifty enough to be in the first round class of linebackers, and Harris isn’t exactly a typical Tampa 2 middle man, but he’s a very instinctive run stuffer who has enough athletic ability to not be a liability in zone defense against the pass.
The two knocks on Harris are his troubling medical history (a couple of knee injuries in college) and his struggles in rushing the quarterback. Harris is much more of a line of scrimmage run plugger who could probably manage the inside of 3-4 defense if he’s taught how to get after the QB a little better. But he’s probably a little more effective when asked to work in more open space.
Harris is about the same size, if not slightly bigger, than DeMeco Ryans – a similar type LB that came out last year and excelled with the Houston Texans his rookie season. Both are instictive players who read the play well and tackle well. As a “life-long Lions fan“, Harris wouldn’t be such a bad fit in Rod Marinelli’s defense in Detroit.
The 2007 Swamp Mock Draft is underway. Stop in and yell at someone.