buffalobill989
8/3/2009, 08:16 AM
nice read abut Nic in training camp. i really like this kid and think he will be a starter my mid-season. kinda long . hope you guys enjoy
For Nic Harris, training camp is like the Groundhog Day of finals week in college.
The cramming never ends.
If he's not in a meeting or on the field for practice, then Harris says he's doing one of two things: studying his playbook or sleeping
Making the jump from college to the NFL is a process to begin with. Learning to play a new position makes the transition even more difficult.
"Outside of getting the proper rest and practice, that's what my day consists of, studying," Harris said after practice Saturday at St. John Fisher College. "It's a continuous strain for myself."
Harris played safety at Oklahoma University but he was by no means a sprinter. When he went through drills at the NFL scouting combine in April, teams decided he'd never make it as a defensive back. The Bills drafted him in the fifth round (147th overall), planning all along to make him a linebacker.
At 6-foot-2, 232 pounds, Harris has the size to play the new position. The Bills also believe he uses that size well.
"We like his length in underneath coverage," linebackers coach Matt Sheldon said. "He's like Scottie Pippen (the former star with the NBA's Chicago Bulls) in the post. It's hard to drop that lob pass in over him."
This isn't the first time the Bills have moved a defensive back to linebacker. Coy Wire made the transition after he was drafted in 2002 out of Stanford University. Keith Ellison played safety and linebacker in college and is now at strong side linebacker for the Bills.
Defensive back Bryon Scott has practiced at linebacker just in case the Bills need him to play there.
The biggest adjustment is gaining proper body positioning for contact to maximize leverage.
"Pad level and leverage are the absolute key," Sheldon said.
"We've seen vast improvement with Nic in a month."
So does he look like a safety trying to play linebacker, or a first-year linebacker making the jump to the NFL?
Coach Dick Jauron said he very much resembles someone who played linebacker in college.
"He's not lost at all."
But Harris is also not ready to crack the starting lineup.
"There's definitely a lot of learning ahead of him," Jauron said. "It's kind of all new and it's an all-new scheme, but he does not look out of place."
Since the draft, he has known he must add a little more bulk. Instead of tackling guys 30 and 40 pounds lighter, he'll be confronting offensive linemen that usually will be at least 70 pounds heavier.
"He played very physical in college," Sheldon said. "Now he has to make sure he can do it with the bigger athlete."
At Oklahoma, Harris took defensive breakdowns personally. He expected to make plays, and usually did.
He ranks sixth all-time at Oklahoma in tackles by a defensive back (233, including 143 solo tackles).
"If it went for six, it was my fault every time," he said.
He says he's more than ready for the challenge, though.
"There were a lot of expectations on me going into college; this isn't my first rodeo," Harris said. "I want to live up to the responsibilities I have."
For Nic Harris, training camp is like the Groundhog Day of finals week in college.
The cramming never ends.
If he's not in a meeting or on the field for practice, then Harris says he's doing one of two things: studying his playbook or sleeping
Making the jump from college to the NFL is a process to begin with. Learning to play a new position makes the transition even more difficult.
"Outside of getting the proper rest and practice, that's what my day consists of, studying," Harris said after practice Saturday at St. John Fisher College. "It's a continuous strain for myself."
Harris played safety at Oklahoma University but he was by no means a sprinter. When he went through drills at the NFL scouting combine in April, teams decided he'd never make it as a defensive back. The Bills drafted him in the fifth round (147th overall), planning all along to make him a linebacker.
At 6-foot-2, 232 pounds, Harris has the size to play the new position. The Bills also believe he uses that size well.
"We like his length in underneath coverage," linebackers coach Matt Sheldon said. "He's like Scottie Pippen (the former star with the NBA's Chicago Bulls) in the post. It's hard to drop that lob pass in over him."
This isn't the first time the Bills have moved a defensive back to linebacker. Coy Wire made the transition after he was drafted in 2002 out of Stanford University. Keith Ellison played safety and linebacker in college and is now at strong side linebacker for the Bills.
Defensive back Bryon Scott has practiced at linebacker just in case the Bills need him to play there.
The biggest adjustment is gaining proper body positioning for contact to maximize leverage.
"Pad level and leverage are the absolute key," Sheldon said.
"We've seen vast improvement with Nic in a month."
So does he look like a safety trying to play linebacker, or a first-year linebacker making the jump to the NFL?
Coach Dick Jauron said he very much resembles someone who played linebacker in college.
"He's not lost at all."
But Harris is also not ready to crack the starting lineup.
"There's definitely a lot of learning ahead of him," Jauron said. "It's kind of all new and it's an all-new scheme, but he does not look out of place."
Since the draft, he has known he must add a little more bulk. Instead of tackling guys 30 and 40 pounds lighter, he'll be confronting offensive linemen that usually will be at least 70 pounds heavier.
"He played very physical in college," Sheldon said. "Now he has to make sure he can do it with the bigger athlete."
At Oklahoma, Harris took defensive breakdowns personally. He expected to make plays, and usually did.
He ranks sixth all-time at Oklahoma in tackles by a defensive back (233, including 143 solo tackles).
"If it went for six, it was my fault every time," he said.
He says he's more than ready for the challenge, though.
"There were a lot of expectations on me going into college; this isn't my first rodeo," Harris said. "I want to live up to the responsibilities I have."