2020 Browns’ NFL Draft Film Room Series: C Nick Harris

After selecting tight end Harrison Bryant in the fourth round, the Cleveland Browns continued their Day 3 of the 2020 NFL Draft by drafting center Nick Harris of Washington in the fifth round. At 6-foot-1, 302 pounds, Harris started every game his last three seasons at Washington, earning first-team All-Pac 12 honors in 2018 and 2019 when he started 25 games over those two seasons. He played at right guard his sophomore season before moving to center for his junior and senior seasons. So, what are the Browns getting in their newest interior offensive lineman? In today’s Browns film room, I will examine the strengths and weaknesses of Nick Harris’ game. Let’s take a look.

2020 Browns’ NFL Draft Film Room Series: OT Jedrick Wills, S Grant Delpit, IDL Jordan Elliott, LB Jacob Phillips, and TE Harrison Bryant

Strengths

Movement Skills

Harris has excellent movement skills for an interior offensive lineman. He has good explosion off the line of scrimmage and the ability to move in all directions with great fluidness. He is well equipped to flow to the second level to find blocks. He is able to pull block and lead run plays. His fluid athleticism lends him to be perfect in the zone blocking scheme. Here are some examples of his fluid movement skills.

In the first play versus Oregon, Washington has a screen pass called to the right side of the field. Harris begins the play by helping block on the line of scrimmage. Though, he quickly leaves the initial block and runs upfield to get ahead of the screen. He is the first blocker to get to the outside and so he makes the key block to spring the successful screen pass. In the second play against Cal, Washington calls for another screen, this time to the receiver in the slot. This is more of a quick screen where the screen pass is thrown right after the snap. Harris has speed to get off the line and head to the right and downfield to pick up a block. He is able to get downfield and catch a defender trying to cross the field and rally to the ball. Harris is able to shield that defender away from the ball carrier even as the play speeds down the field. In the final play versus Cal, Harris is tasked as the lead pulling block for the run to the outside. He shows his athleticism to lead the run play and to pick up the defender in space and successfully block the defender.

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Feet

Part of the reason Harris has such good movement skills is due to his feet. He has quick and fluid feet to able to shuffle and keep up with any pass rusher. His feet are technically sound with the ability to shuffle quickly without getting caught in a poor position. He keeps his feet on a good base. Here are some examples of his excellent feet.

In the first play against Oregon, Harris slips to the second level to pick up a defender in that area. He easily latches onto the defender and shows his fluid feet by moving around the defender to seal off the outside. In the second play versus Ohio State, Harris shows off his quick feet when he has to slide to his outside to try and pick up a rusher who is heading up field unblocked. Harris’ left guard leaves his spot to pull to the right, leaving an unblocked rusher. Harris has to quickly get out and in front of the rusher before the rusher can get a free lane to the quarterback. Harris gets out to the rusher just in time to push him past the quarterback and out of the back of the pocket. He saves a sack because of his quick feet. In the final play against Ohio State, Harris has to show off his fluid feet when he is tasked to transfer to a new rusher to block. He initially takes on the rusher in front of him, but he quickly sees an up-and-under stunt happening. Harris gets off the first block and shuffles to the right to pick up the other rusher. He is able to stop that rusher from getting to the quarterback.

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Body Positioning

Harris pairs his fluid movement skills and quick feet with great body positioning. He is able to quickly get off the line of the scrimmage after the snap and get into the right position to win the blocking rep. He can turn his body fluidly and quickly to seal off blocks. He knows how to move his body in a way to get in front of the defender and seal off from the play. Here is are some examples of his body positioning.

In the first play versus Cal, Harris is tasked to block to the left in the outside zone run play. Harris first helps slow down the defender across from him. He then slips to the second level to pick up the backside defender. Harris turns his body so that he seals off the edge so the ball carrier can go around his outside for a nice run gain. In the second play against Cal, Harris is again slipping to the second level to help block for an outside run to the left. He is able to get his body to the outside of the second level defender to seal the defender away from the outside edge where the run play was headed. In the last play versus Oregon, Harris shows off his quickness at the snap. He is able to quickly get up and turn inside to seal off the interior defender from getting to the right side of the field where the run play is going. His quick body positioning took that defender out of the play instantly.

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Hands

Harris has good hands that allow him to handle defenders in the trenches. He can lay a solid punch, but his hands are a strength because of how technically sound they are. He is able to keep strong grasps on defenders because he keeps his hands inside of the defenders throughout the rep. They are very active throughout the rep as he tried to maintain the correct placement. Here are some examples of his good hands.

In the first play versus Oregon, Harris starts off the play with a quick and strong jab to the opposing rusher’s chest. Once he was engaged on the rusher’s chest, he did not relinquish that position. The rusher tried numerous arm movements and changes of direction to get away from Harris, but Harris was able to sustain the block throughout because of his strong hands. In the second play against Cal, Harris once again shows his strong hands to sustain blocks. He comes off the line and jabs the opposing rusher’s chest. After that jab, he is able to keep his hands there throughout the rep. And in the final play against Cal, Harris showcases his hand strength. Immediately after the snap, he lays a strong blow to the opposing rusher. Following that initial shot, he is able to turn the defender to the outside with his hands and seal off the left where the play was going.

Weaknesses

Strength/Power/Size

Harris is undersized for an interior offensive lineman, standing just 6-foot-1, 302 pounds. As an undersized lineman, he does not have the ideal strength and power for an interior offensive lineman. He can be overpowered by the big nose tackles. He will not be a blocker who will create holes by displacing defenders and pushing them out of the way with power. He can be vulnerable to bull rushes from stronger interior rushers. Here are some examples of his problems with strength and power as an undersized lineman.

In the first play against Oregon, Harris is faced with a rush from a strong nose tackle. The nose tackle is able to stand up Harris and push him back into the backfield, eventually getting lose from Harris to help make the run stop. In the second play versus Oregon, Harris needs to run to the left to pick up an unblocked rusher. He is able to get the rusher’s side, but he does not have the strength to come close to slowing down the defender from pressuring the quarterback. He even tries to hold the defender to keep him from sacking the quarterback. In the final play against Cal, Harris is simply just overpowered and bull-rushed back the opposing rusher. The rusher is able to keep backing Harris further into the backfield and almost right into the lap of the quarterback.

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Feet Fall Behind

Though his feet are strength in his game, he can sometimes leave them behind and get too forward with his upper body. This leads to balance problems and falling off blocks. He can get aggressive with a jab and not move his feet with the jab, causing him to lunge and fall forward. Here are some examples of his upper body getting too far in front of his feet.

In the first play versus Cal, Harris gets out of stance and takes on the defender across from him. Harris initially does well, but he quits moving his feet with the block and eventually falls off the defender, allowing the defender to get free inside to help stop the run. In the second play against Oregon, Harris once again falls off a block. He initially takes on the opposing defender, but he is quickly thrown to the side and off balance by the defender when Harris gets his upper body ahead of his feet. In the final play against Oregon, Harris tries to make a quick jab right after the snap. But, Harris forgets to bring his feet with him. The defender is able to swipe away the jab and cause the Harris to fall forward. The rusher is then allowed to get around Harris and into the backfield for the sack.