JetNation Posted August 1, 2017 Share Posted August 1, 2017 When the Jets kicked off training camp earlier this week in Florham Park, if you would have asked anyone about the young receiver from Cal, they would have assumed you were referring to 2017 draft pick Chad Hansen who was taken in the fourth round with the 141st overall pick. Well, as it turns out, it looks like there’s another Cal pass catcher turning heads in the early going as little-known veteran Chris Harper has drawn plenty of praise for his work from onlookers over the past few days, especially on day four. Play of Practice: WR Chris Harper with terrific diving one-handed catch (w/Coleman draped all over him) on perfect deep pass from Petty — Manish Mehta (@MMehtaNYDN) August 1, 2017 In three seasons at Cal, Harper racked up 163 receptions for 2,030 yards and 13 scores. He did plenty of damage lining up on the outside, but will probably better suited as a slot receiver in the NFL. After going undrafted in 2015, Harper spent a season with the New England Patriots, but saw little playing time, catching just one pass for six yards. Harper would spend 2016 in San Francisco with the 49ers where he played in nine games, starting two, and hauling in 13 passes for 133 yards. Quite a small sample size with a team that was reeling. Harper also has some experience as a punt returner, albeit with moderate production. He returned 19 punts for 122 yards at Cal; an average of just 6.4 yards per attempt. Nothing special, but it sure couldn’t hurt. When asked about Harper, head coach Todd Bowles praised his excellent hands and the speed with which he’s picked up the offense. If he continues to impress as he did today, he’ll be picking up a few paychecks signed by Woody Johnson in the coming months. Click here to read the full story... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HighPitch Posted August 1, 2017 Share Posted August 1, 2017 Every year theres a surprise guy. Every year the guy gets cut Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFJF Posted August 1, 2017 Share Posted August 1, 2017 7 minutes ago, HighPitch said: Every year theres a surprise guy. Every year the guy gets cut Robby Anderson Jalin Marshall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFJF Posted August 1, 2017 Share Posted August 1, 2017 OVERVIEW 2014: Made 52 receptions for 634 yards and 6 TDs. 2013: Made 70 receptions for 852 yards and 5 TDs. Played in 11 games with nine starts before missing the team's final contest of the year at Stanford due to injury. 2012: Played in all 12 games with starts in each of the team's final five contests. PRO DAY RESULTS 40-yard dash: 4.52 and 4.54 seconds Vertical jump: 35 inches Broad jump: 10 feet Short shuttle: 4.36 seconds 3-cone: 7.03 seconds Bench: 11 reps of 225 pounds ANALYSIS STRENGTHS Has sudden, springy feet. Uses feet to escape in small spaces and is able to break routes off quickly and change direction with ease. Fluid hips lead him into relatively crisp turns. Shows potential as a route runner and has quick stem at the top. Does a nice job of selling double moves. Not a burner but can call on some acceleration. Has desired ball-tracking ability and will run through deep balls and can finish tough catches. Plays with good pace. Didn't have to do it that often, but tougher run blocker than expected for a player with his thin frame. Gets after cornerbacks with some attack to him. WEAKNESSES Wiry wide receiver who can be knocked off balance in his routes by physical cornerbacks. Has some tightness in his stride. Doesn't show NFL-caliber deep speed on tape to create separation on nine routes. Busy upper and lower body into routes when he's trying to sell deep but break underneath. Body-catcher with occasional focus drop. Play strength is below average and yards after catch must come from elusiveness. Scouts have concerns about whether he can stay healthy as he takes NFL hits. Inconsistent release against press. DRAFT PROJECTION Round 7 or priority free agent BOTTOM LINE Slightly built outside receiver who will have to move inside and man the slot. Harper's foot quickness, hips and ability to change direction with some suddenness could offer him a chance at success from inside and the fact that he will block only helps his case. Harper must prove his play speed is adequate and that he is sturdy enough to handle the rigors of the pro game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PRO DAY RESULTS 40-yard dash: 4.52 and 4.54 seconds Vertical jump: 35 inches Broad jump: 10 feet Short shuttle: 4.36 seconds 3-cone: 7.03 seconds Bench: 11 reps of 225 pounds
STRENGTHS Has sudden, springy feet. Uses feet to escape in small spaces and is able to break routes off quickly and change direction with ease. Fluid hips lead him into relatively crisp turns. Shows potential as a route runner and has quick stem at the top. Does a nice job of selling double moves. Not a burner but can call on some acceleration. Has desired ball-tracking ability and will run through deep balls and can finish tough catches. Plays with good pace. Didn't have to do it that often, but tougher run blocker than expected for a player with his thin frame. Gets after cornerbacks with some attack to him.
WEAKNESSES Wiry wide receiver who can be knocked off balance in his routes by physical cornerbacks. Has some tightness in his stride. Doesn't show NFL-caliber deep speed on tape to create separation on nine routes. Busy upper and lower body into routes when he's trying to sell deep but break underneath. Body-catcher with occasional focus drop. Play strength is below average and yards after catch must come from elusiveness. Scouts have concerns about whether he can stay healthy as he takes NFL hits. Inconsistent release against press.
BOTTOM LINE Slightly built outside receiver who will have to move inside and man the slot. Harper's foot quickness, hips and ability to change direction with some suddenness could offer him a chance at success from inside and the fact that he will block only helps his case. Harper must prove his play speed is adequate and that he is sturdy enough to handle the rigors of the pro game.
#27TheDominator Posted August 1, 2017 Share Posted August 1, 2017 Zach Rogers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rangerous Posted August 1, 2017 Share Posted August 1, 2017 5 minutes ago, AFJF said: OVERVIEW 2014: Made 52 receptions for 634 yards and 6 TDs. 2013: Made 70 receptions for 852 yards and 5 TDs. Played in 11 games with nine starts before missing the team's final contest of the year at Stanford due to injury. 2012: Played in all 12 games with starts in each of the team's final five contests. PRO DAY RESULTS 40-yard dash: 4.52 and 4.54 seconds Vertical jump: 35 inches Broad jump: 10 feet Short shuttle: 4.36 seconds 3-cone: 7.03 seconds Bench: 11 reps of 225 pounds ANALYSIS STRENGTHS Has sudden, springy feet. Uses feet to escape in small spaces and is able to break routes off quickly and change direction with ease. Fluid hips lead him into relatively crisp turns. Shows potential as a route runner and has quick stem at the top. Does a nice job of selling double moves. Not a burner but can call on some acceleration. Has desired ball-tracking ability and will run through deep balls and can finish tough catches. Plays with good pace. Didn't have to do it that often, but tougher run blocker than expected for a player with his thin frame. Gets after cornerbacks with some attack to him. WEAKNESSES Wiry wide receiver who can be knocked off balance in his routes by physical cornerbacks. Has some tightness in his stride. Doesn't show NFL-caliber deep speed on tape to create separation on nine routes. Busy upper and lower body into routes when he's trying to sell deep but break underneath. Body-catcher with occasional focus drop. Play strength is below average and yards after catch must come from elusiveness. Scouts have concerns about whether he can stay healthy as he takes NFL hits. Inconsistent release against press. DRAFT PROJECTION Round 7 or priority free agent BOTTOM LINE Slightly built outside receiver who will have to move inside and man the slot. Harper's foot quickness, hips and ability to change direction with some suddenness could offer him a chance at success from inside and the fact that he will block only helps his case. Harper must prove his play speed is adequate and that he is sturdy enough to handle the rigors of the pro game. it's always funny when they say a guy can get knocked off his routes by physical db's. what wr can't? and the way the nfl limits bump and run it's hard to think this is a great disadvantage. both edelman and amendola are doing just fine in the slot. welker too but he was a bit of a fireplug. the bottom line is if the the guy has great agility, can run routes, and has great hands he could be a keeper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PRO DAY RESULTS 40-yard dash: 4.52 and 4.54 seconds Vertical jump: 35 inches Broad jump: 10 feet Short shuttle: 4.36 seconds 3-cone: 7.03 seconds Bench: 11 reps of 225 pounds
STRENGTHS Has sudden, springy feet. Uses feet to escape in small spaces and is able to break routes off quickly and change direction with ease. Fluid hips lead him into relatively crisp turns. Shows potential as a route runner and has quick stem at the top. Does a nice job of selling double moves. Not a burner but can call on some acceleration. Has desired ball-tracking ability and will run through deep balls and can finish tough catches. Plays with good pace. Didn't have to do it that often, but tougher run blocker than expected for a player with his thin frame. Gets after cornerbacks with some attack to him.
WEAKNESSES Wiry wide receiver who can be knocked off balance in his routes by physical cornerbacks. Has some tightness in his stride. Doesn't show NFL-caliber deep speed on tape to create separation on nine routes. Busy upper and lower body into routes when he's trying to sell deep but break underneath. Body-catcher with occasional focus drop. Play strength is below average and yards after catch must come from elusiveness. Scouts have concerns about whether he can stay healthy as he takes NFL hits. Inconsistent release against press.
BOTTOM LINE Slightly built outside receiver who will have to move inside and man the slot. Harper's foot quickness, hips and ability to change direction with some suddenness could offer him a chance at success from inside and the fact that he will block only helps his case. Harper must prove his play speed is adequate and that he is sturdy enough to handle the rigors of the pro game.
Gas2No99 Posted August 1, 2017 Share Posted August 1, 2017 On May 30, 2017 at 8:04 PM, Gas2No99 said: California WR Chris Harper NFL Draft Scouting Report Every year when NFL Draft evaluations are happening, there are a number of players that you’re left wondering, what in the world was everyone thinking? How did this guy slip through the cracks? That would apply to California wide receiver Chris Harper, who is only 5-foot-11, 175 pounds. If you search his name in Google, you’re going to come up with a bunch of results for 2013 wide receiver prospect Chris Harper of Kansas State, who has bounced around the NFC West a bit in his NFL career. You really have to do some digging on this guy, but it’s worth it. There’s nothing spectacular about his numbers, but that’s due largely to inconsistent quarterback play, it seems. Harper caught 52 passes this past year as a junior, racking up 632 yards and six touchdowns, while also contributing as a punt returner. In 2013 as a sophomore, Harper caught 69 balls for 840 yards and five touchdowns. Nothing spectacular about the numbers, nothing standing out about the averages that would make you go back and wonder what more this guy did that we’re not seeing. But if you thought that numbers never lie, then you’ve been believing a lie. Robert Klemko at MMQB did a great piece on Harper, highlighting one of this year’s biggest NFL Scouting Combine snubs. Heck, Harper is so unknown by the masses at this point, this guy doesn’t even have a mock draftable web. That’s a big deal, in case you didn’t know. He doesn’t have a scouting report that pops up when you search his name, just a couple of articles and things mixed in with the former Kansas State Chris Harper. It’s pretty sad, really. But, if you do the digging, you’ll find people who have done some homework on the Cal version of Chris Harper, the guy who left school early after doing things like this. Highlight reel catches do not a great prospect make, but Harper appears to be so much more than that. Thankfully, Draft Breakdown has some of his 2013 tape in their archive, and you can see through different games that this kid’s skill set, while far from complete, is the real deal. First and foremost, what jumps out about Harper’s tape is his phenomenal athletic ability and quickness. You see him explode in and out of his routes, and he finds ways to make himself the open receiver seemingly every play. What I like most about his game is that you don’t often see guys with that kind of speed and quickness at the collegiate level running such precise routes from different positions, especially as just a sophomore. In this tape, Harper is playing in his second year of college football and is schooling defensive backs up and down the field. He will get open inside, outside, short, intermediate, deep downfield, and he makes tough catches. Unlike other players his size, Harper fights for the football and plays with a bit of physicality and swagger, which I really like. You can see throughout the video plays where Harper will make excellent effort to work back toward the line of scrimmage and fight for the football, whether contested or not. He makes tough, over the shoulder catches and displays great concentration on deep balls downfield. One of his greatest attributes is his ability after the catch. Perhaps a downside to his game at times, Harper fights for extra yardage, almost to a fault, and has the ability to make defenders miss in the open field right before he accelerates past them for a bigger gain. For whatever reasons NFL teams decide — be it size, lack of big numbers statistically, or the fact that he chose to leave school after just three years, Harper will be under-drafted. He isn’t going to go as high as he should, or maybe I’m just too high on him. Either way, this is a player that has really caught my eye and someone who has slipped through the cracks, to this point. He does everything well as a receiver and has the type of confidence in himself you love to see in a young receiver. He could be one of the biggest steals of the draft. Next: Bryce Petty Sneaking Into the First Round? ********** Over the course of the next few weeks, we will take a look at the men fighting for those spots on the 2016 New England Patriots. Today, we'll take a look at wide receiver Chris Harper. Name: Chris Harper Position: Wide receiver Jersey number: 14 Age: 22 Experience: 1 Size: 5'11, 185 lbs. 2015 review: After not getting selected in the 2015 NFL Draft, the Patriots signed Chris Harper in early May. The former Cal receiver had a very good first summer in New England, and thanks to an impressive preseason – 15 catches for 150 yards and a touchdown – earned himself a spot on the team's initial 53-man roster. However, Harper, who was active for five games during his rookie campaign, could not establish himself as a consistent option on offense and special teams. He was cut and re-signed twice, and finished his first NFL season with one catch for six yards and three punt returns for 17 yards. His most memorable play was one he didn't make – one that played a key role in losing to the Denver Broncos in week 12: in the game's fourth quarter and with the Patriots leading 20-7, Harper tried to field a Broncos punt but was tackled immediately. He lost the football, which was recovered by Denver and four plays later turned into a touchdown, while his team lost momentum. 2016 preview: In 2015, Harper's performance in training camp and the preseason earned him a spot on the Patriots' initial roster. Despite increased competition this year by newly acquired wideouts Chris Hogan and Malcolm Mitchell as well as recently extended Keshawn Martin, the 22-year old could find himself on the team once again due to the uncertainties surrounding the injury statuses of Julian Edelman and Danny Amendola. If Edelman and Amendola recover as expected from their respective offseason surgeries, Harper faces an uphill battle to survive cuts this year. While he offers some experience as a pass catcher and return man, those qualities might not be enough to earn him a spot. After all, the wide receiver depth chart is crowded as six players (the above mentioned five plus core special teamer Matthew Slater) are locks or near-locks to make the team. It's a numbers game and Harper's might not be prominent enough to win it. Therefore, Harper's best chance to stick around in Foxboro seems to be via the Patriots' practice squad and in a role similar to last year's: an emergency option, promoted only in case of injury to a wideout or kick returner. --- Chris Harper left a tremendous first impression in New England but couldn't keep up once the games became more contested and the opponents better. Still, he should get more chances this summer to show that his 2015 preseason was no fluke and that he is worthy of a spot on the Patriots' payroll. ************************** The San Francisco 49ers made a roster move on Tuesday, activating wide receiver Chris Harper from injured reserve Kirk Larrabee - Nov 8, 2016 Harper joined the NFL in 2015 as an undrafted free agent out of Cal. He played in five games for the New England Patriots last season, catching one pass for six yards. Harper was waived by the Patriots at the end of the preseason, after which he joined the 49ers practice squad. Harper was promoted to the 49ers for one game in September, after which he was waived and eventually re-signed with the practice squad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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