Something seems pretty special about Dujuan Harris..

[bozz_2006]

Let's fire 'em all. Right now.

 

[HyponGrey]

GD I love that little man! Go Fox Go!!!

 

[HardRightEdge]

First off, from Packers.com, which would be his most recent weigh in, and what I use: 5'8 203, though according to my friend's cousin Isaac Redman, it's closer to 5'7.

He keeps growing! Redman is probably right. He was listed at 5'7" coming out of college; 5'8" on Packers.com; 5'9" on NFL.com. 5'7" is probably closer to the right number...dimensions tend to get bumped up in the NFL; bump downs are generally reserved for out-of-shape linemen.

 

[gatorpack]

He is a cover 2 killer. Love him on check downs!

 

[HyponGrey]

He keeps growing! Redman is probably right. He was listed at 5'7" coming out of college; 5'8" on Packers.com; 5'9" on NFL.com. 5'7" is probably closer to the right number...dimensions tend to get bumped up in the NFL; bump downs are generally reserved for out-of-shape linemen.

Greenblood met him in person and swears by 5'9. Kinda want to meet him since I'm 5'8. That would settle it.

 

[jaybadger82]

I found the extended discussion of "ideal" RB height/weight combinations above rather funny.

Eye test: Harris weighs more than 203, people. His thighs are tremendous. And with RBs, the more mass you can pack into a short package, the better: keeps the ball carrier hidden by the line. Harris keeps his legs moving after contact and, unlike Starks or Grant, he maintains low pad level. He's got nice hands and operates well in space, punishing defensive secondaries on the dump off, which I like. I don't like seeing him run outside, though; he doesn't have enough speed to turn the corner.

Starting to wonder if the Packers should call up a young buck RB from the practice squad heading into the playoffs every year. Reminds me of Starks a couple years ago. There's just so much energy in the way Harris is playing and it adds a bit of juice to the offense.

BTW, the Packers ran the ball much better in the first half. Compare Harris' 3.85 ypc in the first to his 1.77 ypc in the second. GB went more vanilla with in the second half, which made sense going into a very tough match-up next weekend: why give the Niners more looks at some of our more exotic formations?

 

[HyponGrey]

I don't like seeing him run outside, though; he doesn't have enough speed to turn the corner.

Disagree. The man has both speed and quickness.

 

[jaybadger82]

Guess we disagree, then. I just think there's a difference between quickness and speed:

I don't see the type of speed necessary to get outside, turn the corner, and get up field consistently. He just can't move laterally fast enough (his hips are very stiff) and he's not getting the blocking necessary to break those runs on this team anyway. We're better off attacking the sidelines through the air given our assets at WR anyway...

Harris is quick between the tackles, crafty with some of his change of direction, jump cuts, etc. He does a pretty good job picking his spots. I think it makes sense to keep him running primarily north/south.

What makes you say otherwise?

 

[bozz_2006]

Speed is top end. Quickness is how fast you can get there

 

[melvin dangerr]

He's been given very few carries up to this point, 2o carries to be exact. He already has 2 TD's and is averaging a respectable 4.4 yards per carry on those limited touches. In his brief stint last year with the Jags in his limited role, with only 9 carries, achieved over 40 yards rushing.

Now I would certainly love to see more of this kid before I get too gushy over him, but when you watch the way he quickly changes direction and cuts so hard and fast to find the open lanes, it's just something I've never seen from the likes of Alex Green or Ryan Grant. The two times he's scored he has practically gone in untouched, and they weren't little 2 yard scampers either.

Hope to see more of him and give him a chance. Thoughts?

Just would like to see him break 1 long run for a TD, would just explode the Packers offense.....

 

[melvin dangerr]

Maybe he can become a Sproles for us.

YES

 

[melvin dangerr]

I like him a lot. Too bad we wasted two 3 and out possessions on Grant. Would like to see Harris and Starks running the ball. Starks is a great game-closer power-runner type, but Harris has the moves to also get yards where none are there for the taking. Like them both. Starks was Limited Participation today, so we will see. Green looks to be back though, and he has developed into a decent back as well.

Like Grant cause he has a chip on his shoulder with each carry, and he could be a big asset down the SB road, Harris just seems to be more of a north south runner, and should do more to look for outside run opps where he could do serious damage.......

 

[HyponGrey]

Guess we disagree, then. I just think there's a difference between quickness and speed:

I don't see the type of speed necessary to get outside, turn the corner, and get up field consistently. He just can't move laterally fast enough (his hips are very stiff) and he's not getting the blocking necessary to break those runs on this team anyway. We're better off attacking the sidelines through the air given our assets at WR anyway...

Harris is quick between the tackles, crafty with some of his change of direction, jump cuts, etc. He does a pretty good job picking his spots. I think it makes sense to keep him running primarily north/south.

What makes you say otherwise?

If it's "speed" you're wanting, how about his average of 4.45? His fastest 40 time was 4.38. That's plenty of "speed"

I'll admit he's got some stiff hips, but not THAT stiff.

It is best to keep him NS, especially since that's what this team usually does and does best anyway.

The fact that he's turned that corner before when he gotten the blocking? He usually gets a better lane cutting it back anyway.

 

[jaybadger82]

If it's "speed" you're wanting, how about his average of 4.45? His fastest 40 time was 4.38. That's plenty of "speed"

I'll admit he's got some stiff hips, but not THAT stiff.

It is best to keep him NS, especially since that's what this team usually does and does best anyway.

The fact that he's turned that corner before when he gotten the blocking? He usually gets a better lane cutting it back anyway.

The 40 measures straight-line speed and, as you acknowledge, his hips are stiff. You aren't making convincing arguments for why Harris should be taking carries outside. Since you recognize that it's best to keep him NS, I'm not sure why you felt the need to disgree with my initial observations. Harris hasn't found quality lanes outside the hashes with any sort of consistency- these are usually lost downs where they occur.

 

[HyponGrey]

The 40 measures straight-line speed and, as you acknowledge, his hips are stiff. You aren't making convincing arguments for why Harris should be taking carries outside. Since you recognize that it's best to keep him NS, I'm not sure why you felt the need to disgree with my initial observations. Harris hasn't found quality lanes outside the hashes with any sort of consistency- these are usually lost downs where they occur.

Because I still think he is capable of turning that corner. I think he CAN take carries outside. That was my disagreement. Whether or not he SHOULD is a separate argument, and even then I think that he should, just not constantly. IMO he is capable of handling the occasional outside run.

 

[jaybadger82]

Seems rather obvious the discussion was over whether Harris SHOULD be taking carries outside, doesn't it?

Based on what we've seen with Harris going outside on designed plays, it's not something we should run for him. The hair-splitting over this point seems quarrelsome and rather oblivious to what's happened on the field.

I'm as excited about Harris as the next guy (see posts above) but his skill set isn't unlimited. He played his college ball at Troy for a reason; he went undrafted for a reason; and he was cut by two franchises before coming to Green Bay for a reason. There are limits to what he can successfully execute at the NFL level. That isn't a problem as long as the coaching staff has him playing to his strengths. Changing direction in space is not one of Harris' strengths and we have players on the roster better-suited for running outside.

 

[HyponGrey]

Seems rather obvious the discussion was over whether Harris SHOULD be taking carries outside, doesn't it?

To recap:

I don't like seeing him run outside, though; he doesn't have enough speed to turn the corner.

Disagree. The man has both speed and quickness.

My original point of umbrage was that it seemed you were implying that Harris could not run to the outside. I believe that he has the ability to go to the outside, but not consistently. Everything else you've said I can agree with.

 

[jaybadger82]

Alright- Just seems like if a player is unable to consistently do something on the field, he shouldn't be asked to do it and to say that he "can" do it is misleading.

To say Harris "can" turn the corner running outside does a disservice to the reality of Harris as a player.

 

[HyponGrey]

I can agree to that

 

[Shawnsta3]

I always thought Dajuan Harris would be a bigger role player then any other running back on the roster for this post-season run. He had the James Starks ex-factor. Another example of TT bringing a great role player off UDFA list. At first I thought it was going to be Johny White, but oh well. I even created him as a player on my friends Madden Wii after that Detroit game on December 9th.

Ryan Grant will always be Ryan Grant. Downhill runner that lacks burst but runs hard.

Harris might very well turn out to be a Starks like player in his future. Actually, I think Starks has a much better skill set but I think for these next 3 games, I think you are going to see Harris lead this GB rushing attack (As I predicted over a month ago) and do it very successfully.

 

[HyponGrey]

http://www.packersnews.com/article/20130112/PKR0101/130112001?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

By NFL running back standards, DuJuan Harris is short (5-foot-8) and light (203 pounds).
But is he ever strong.
At his Pro Day coming out of Troy University, Harris did 27 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press.
“I thought it was 28,” Harris said. “I was mad. I wanted to do 30. A lot of people probably wouldn’t think it, but I’m a pretty strong guy. I was pressing 370 coming out of high school.”
Though Harris wasn’t invited to the scouting combine the year he came out, 2011, only one running back there — Shane Vereen, a second-round pick of the New England Patriots — did more reps than Harris. Vereen did 31.
For comparison’s sake, Clay Matthews did 23 reps on the bench in his workout.

 

[Dan115]

Had a dream - a few big runs from the little man tonight.

 

[Trapped In Vikingville]

I had to laugh at the "incidental" face mask on the defense! Pick up the flag???? c'mon man!

 

[lancer84]

When is a Facemask not incidental? Or is it under the Gregg Williams defensive scheme?

 

[HyponGrey]

When is a Facemask not incidental? Or is it under the Gregg Williams defensive scheme?

THAT was some bull, he was staring at it and dragged fox down.