Cleveland Browns Potential target file: Miami CB Brandon Harris

If the Browns want to draft a cornerback after the first round in this year's draft, they might want to listen to the case University of Miami cornerback Brandon Harris made for himself Sunday at the NFL Scouting Combine.

"I'm very versatile," Harris said. "I love the game of football. It's not just something I do just to do. I was born into this game. I think my love for the game and passion separates me from a lot of people. I'm able to do a lot of things on the football field. At Miami, they played me in the slot a lot and I also played outside. I was able to move around and make a lot of plays. Being able to blitz from the outside and cover guys man-to-man in the slot, I was able to do a lot things that they wanted me to do."

LSU's Patrick Peterson and Nebraska's Prince Amukamara are projected as top-10 picks by most draft gurus. NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock said, "After Amukamara and Patrick Peterson, there is a drop off."

But the 5-foot-9, 193-pound Harris, who's projected as a first- or second-round pick by Pro Football Weekly, said there are more than two good cornerbacks in this year's draft class. Of course, Harris believes he's one of them.

"I've watched Prince, and I've watched Patrick Peterson for a while," Harris said. "They're two great cornerbacks. Make no mistake about it. They're great guys. … I just think we all just have to come out here and show what we can do at the combine and show everybody that this is not just a two-person DB class, but we all have skills and we all can play."

The Browns might be looking to draft a cornerback. They have Joe Haden and Sheldon Brown. But Eric Wright is not under contract for next season, and Browns General Manager Tom Heckert recently acknowledged how important it is to have three reliable corners.

Harris is not a candidate to be selected early in the first round, when the Browns have the sixth overall pick. But if he's available early in the second round and the Browns don't spend their first choice on a corner, they could consider taking him 37th overall.

Then again, Harris might not be available by then, either. He started every game for the Hurricanes during the past two seasons. He compiled 58 tackles, 15 pass breakups and two interceptions in 2009 and 44 tackles, 10 pass breakups and one interception in 2010.



(ohio.com)