Grading the Numbers: Dwayne Harris

by TheCowboyWay on May 12, 2011 10:28 AM CDT

If you haven't already done so, please take a quick look at the Grading the numbers: First Look fan post. It provides a little background info for this post.

This post looks into the Cowboys 6th round pick, Dwayne Harris.

I knew nothing of this player before the draft. I must admit, I did not find much reason to watch games from ECU. I have seen a lot of others making comparisons to Wes Welker and Patrick Crayton, saying he is a reflection of that shifty slot receiver mold. What I am hoping for is another late round gem that our coaches can shine into prominence, and not another lump of coal.

Let's take a look:

Tape Review:

First impression; S L O W , but agile and strong. Has some nifty moves in the open field, but not much else. Routinely gets run down by other players **EDIT very disturbing given the level of competition **END. He was consistent in making plays in the 7-15 yard area (and making extra yards from nothing), but rarely did he break any long ones. And my biggest concern, was that this was against the lower level of competition at ECU. It is also apparent that he will not pull the top off any coverages deep, as he just has one gear, and will rarely be a threat deep. He does appear to be very physical and will fight for balls that are thrown close to his area. In fact, he appears to be built more like a running back than a wide receiver. Should excel at short yardage YAC.
Poor route runner, most routes that I saw were in the short to intermediate range (which is ok because they play to his strengths), but he just appeared to be slightly out of position at times, causing unnecessary adjustments to passes and wasted movement. This guy is definitely (at least physically) a Patrick Crayton Re-duex. However, what concerns me is that he doesn't have PC's polish, experience, or route running technique, all of the things that arguably made PC successful in our system.
Those things can of course be coached, as they were to PC, but it also means that he is a couple of seasons out from being able to have a large impact. I am honestly a little disappointed in what I have seen so far, as I think he can be as good as PC was, but really that's his ceiling. I was hoping that we were moving away from this type of player, but I also understand that you cannot have superstars at all positions (especially the likely #5 wide out) and role players have their place. But hey, I have been watching Jerry Jones for so long that you can't really blame me for a little of that magpie effect rubbing off...

Grade:

Ouch, looks like the grades make it look even worse than the tape. Above average agility/cod, and not very good anything else. I am further concerned that his dynamic agility is more of a product of his competition level as opposed to his true ability, as this illustrates that his agility is above average, but only marginally so. Also of note, based upon tape, I thought his strength score would be much higher. I really do not mean to speak lowly of Harris, as I believe he can play a role with this team, but this will be predicated upon the fact that he turns out to be one of those players with poor measurable that just finds a way to produce. Time will tell.
Harris scored out on the lower end of wide-outs available in the draft. Lets take a look at his competition (Olgletree, and Holley, unfortunately Sam Hurd's numbers are unavailable);

Kevin Olgletree has all of the physical ability in the world, however he needs to get it together and produce like his numbers says he can. If Ogletree loses out to Harris, it will be only due to his bone-headedness, and Harris proving he is a "Right type of Guy". Holley IMO will never be more than a special teamer. I have serious doubts that Hurd will return given his salary requirements, and we are unfortunately not able to compare his measurables.

**EDIT. By request, Dez, Miles, and Roy.

Conclusion:

I really want to believe that Harris will be a producer for this team (in his role), but he is definitely facing an uphill battle. This whole scenario just smacks of Jamar Wall, our 6th rounder from last year... a limited prospect with question marks facing (what turned out to be) stiff competition from veterans and rookies alike. Unfortunately, I would not be shocked to see Harris' story turn out much the same way as it did for Wall. He will not beat out any of the top three, and it is unlikely that he unseats the other two ahead of him... though I will be pulling for him to prove the numbers wrong. His best chance to stick at this point is on special teams, with a chance to be coached up into (maybe) something more.

Up next; Shaun Chappas.

...WAIT! hey look over there! A shiny new (INSERT FAVORITE SKILL POSITION HERE)!!!!

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Comments

You are painting a rather depressing picture of the guy,

who was touted as a “steal in the 6th round”.

by pfloyd1 on May 12, 2011 11:35 AM CDT reply actions

I know

Definitely not my intent, just presenting the data… which unfortunately for Dwayne Harris does not look too promising. It is possible that he will perform better than these metrics suggest, as players have done in the past (and I am hoping for), but as i stated its definitely an uphill battle. And “steal” or not, he WAS drafted were he was for a reason.

As a side note to this, we do need to remember that this was a 6th round pick. Odds are against finding impact players this deep in the draft. As a whole, because of our late round successes, I feel that we perhaps place too much emphasis on these late rounders, and instead of expecting pebbles and being pleasantry surprised when we find a jewel, we are expecting ALL of them to be jewels, and end up disappointed every time they are not. Perhaps we should temper our expectations a bit with these late rounders, instead of expecting first round performance from each and every pick. If this guy makes the team and performs well on special teams, I would call that a mildly successful 6th round pick.

by TheCowboyWay on May 12, 2011 12:05 PM CDT up reply actions

+1

by Specific on May 12, 2011 7:59 PM CDT up reply actions

Like I have said before, just based on the tape I have seen, he is the pick that underwhelmed me.

Although, Chappas is next, but again I don’t know much about him either and he’s only a 7th round fullback.

by bad knees on May 12, 2011 12:37 PM CDT reply actions

dude was a steal

he isnt a scrub dude, Dwayne got game man and we finally got a true slot WR

now Ogletree is faster for sure, but is a knucklehead
I want KO to succeed soooooooooooo badly here but I dont think it will happen

Bruce Carter+Sean Lee=BRUCE LEE!!!!

by Archie Barberio on May 12, 2011 12:53 PM CDT reply actions

As i said, just presenting the data and what I saw on tape. i doubt Ogletree gets it together too. But as far as Harris goes, I was just expecting to see more. More on tape, better measurables etc… but thats not always everthing and maybe he will surprise us.

by TheCowboyWay on May 12, 2011 1:04 PM CDT up reply actions

Ogletree is twice the athlete that Harris will ever be.

There is no doubt that Harris was drafted to push Tree and hopefully Tree realizes his potential.

Wars are won in the trenches and we need some new big uglies!

by BigDinLA on May 12, 2011 5:42 PM CDT up reply actions

because Ogletree could be our James Jones, very similar players

Bruce Carter+Sean Lee=BRUCE LEE!!!!

by Archie Barberio on May 12, 2011 12:53 PM CDT reply actions

wow

KO went to Virginia not West Virginia

Bruce Carter+Sean Lee=BRUCE LEE!!!!

by Archie Barberio on May 12, 2011 12:53 PM CDT reply actions

yeah caught that and fixed it as i took the pic.

by TheCowboyWay on May 12, 2011 1:01 PM CDT up reply actions

Some people just cannot be measured by workout performance.

I think I’ll take the guy who had over 100 receptions last year over a player who is a workout warrior but doesn’t show up on tape. Great article though, I love the comparisions.

by Fergie3108 on May 12, 2011 1:47 PM CDT reply actions

+1

He was also the MVP of his conference, clearly he had a huge impact on the success of his team and offense…he also had the intangibles like toughness, fighting for the ball and going across the middle, and as a former QB can understand defensive schemes and how to beat them.

"I am a true believer. Anthony Spencer will have 7 or more sacks in 2011 and Stephen Bowen can ball!" - Kegbearer
"Leadership is a matter of having people look at you and gain confidence, seeing how you react. If you're in control, they're in control." - Tom Landry

by Kegbearer on May 12, 2011 2:11 PM CDT up reply actions

That being said

He certainly has to work on running better routes and isn’t some physical/athletic marvel. He has a lot to learn before I will trust him as our #3 WR or even #4 on a consistent basis.

But he is the type of football player/warrior I will happily draft in the late round that could fight his way onto a roster.

by Kegbearer on May 12, 2011 2:13 PM CDT up reply actions

Not fumbling almost once a game would be nice as well.

Wars are won in the trenches and we need some new big uglies!

by BigDinLA on May 12, 2011 5:43 PM CDT up reply actions

He does seem to carry the ball rather loosely in his highlight reels

by Jes2red on May 12, 2011 5:46 PM CDT up reply actions

I definitely agree with that.

He needs to become a better route runner to suceed. But I’ll take the guy who’s a tough WR willing to go over the middle and make the tough catch instead of the precise, crisp route runner who’s just gonna stick to the outside. Toughness is always a great thing to have in abundance.

by Fergie3108 on May 12, 2011 8:12 PM CDT up reply actions

11 career fumbles is a lot

But not even close to almost 1 a game

by Kegbearer on May 13, 2011 8:25 AM CDT up reply actions

yessir

Bruce Carter+Sean Lee=BRUCE LEE!!!!

by Archie Barberio on May 14, 2011 6:32 PM CDT up reply actions

im curious to see

miles, dez and roys stats/measurables in that format, and how they all stack up.

Poor guitarist seeking love....
Likes: Long walks on the beach, Candlelit dinners - Ear Melting Metal and Def Rhymes.... Preferably all at once.

What is best in life?
"To Crush your enemies, See them driven before you and to hear the lamentation of their women!"

My Cover of Metallica's Classic "Master of Puppets"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8aDckMo6-Q
And here's my Tribute to Fade to Black
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=WFVb8Go2oHs

by Nick Castillo on May 12, 2011 2:03 PM CDT reply actions

added them in

by TheCowboyWay on May 13, 2011 3:27 AM CDT up reply actions

holy crap

no wonder roy was a first rounder, look at those scores…. damn him for being so inconsistent!

Poor guitarist seeking love....
Likes: Long walks on the beach, Candlelit dinners - Ear Melting Metal and Def Rhymes.... Preferably all at once.

by Nick Castillo on May 13, 2011 2:15 PM CDT up reply actions

Roy Williams is the poster boy for wasted talent, no doubt.

And think about this, Roy Williams essentially used up 2 first rounders and a 3rd rounder. Amazing bounty for a #3 receiver.

by ballersteve on May 13, 2011 11:41 PM CDT up reply actions

Uhhh....you say he's SLOW?

By what measure? Michael Irvin was nowhere NEAR as fast as Alexander Wright. I’d take Irvin any day though.

Ever heard of a guy we once tried to draft….name was Jerry Rice. Slow guy from a small school. Went on to have a decent career if memory serves me right. :)

For the life of me, I can’t find the category in the charts that measures heart, drive, dedication, pride. That’s why they call it a gamble. You never know who’s gonna do what until they hit the field.

Still though, the guy was highly thought of in his conference. We’ll have to see what it was the scouts saw in him.

by Jes2red on May 12, 2011 4:15 PM CDT reply actions

So now Harris is the 2nd coming of Jerry Rice and Micheal Irvin?

For the life of me, I can’t find the category in the charts that measures heart, drive, dedication, pride. That’s why they call it a gamble. You never know who’s gonna do what until they hit the field.

OMG are you serious with this garbage. Irvin was the 11th pick overall and Rice was the 16th. Harris was the 176 pick for a reason.

Wars are won in the trenches and we need some new big uglies!

by BigDinLA on May 12, 2011 5:47 PM CDT up reply actions

I think a good comparison in regards to these metrics would be

Patrick Crayton or Danny Amendola. Both guys are late rd or UDFA receivers who don’t have outstanding physical tools like an Austin or Ogletree but could provide a good comparison to Harris who will likely play in the slot.

by starmesh23 on May 12, 2011 5:20 PM CDT reply actions

Yes both UDFA. That is when you draft guys like Harris.

Wars are won in the trenches and we need some new big uglies!

by BigDinLA on May 12, 2011 5:48 PM CDT up reply actions

yeah that 6th round man is full of stars

Bruce Carter+Sean Lee=BRUCE LEE!!!!

by Archie Barberio on May 12, 2011 7:50 PM CDT up reply actions

+1

Too funny Chia. I hate when people act like we blew our top 10 pick on our 6th rounders.

by Plinkostar on May 13, 2011 2:37 PM CDT up reply actions

lol

na I just like breaking LA’s balls to be honest lol

I think Harris is the next Davone Bess
yesssir!

Bruce Carter+Sean Lee=BRUCE LEE!!!!

by Archie Barberio on May 14, 2011 6:33 PM CDT up reply actions

Dear sweet Jesus...you do love to kvetch, don't you?

Did I say he was the second coming, or did YOU say he was the second coming?
The history of the league is full of players who over achieved, Rice and Irvin BOTH being players that no one saw becoming HOF players until AFTER the fact.

Same goes with Drew Pearson and a host of others.

Seems to me like you want it BOTH ways.
Wanna bitch about highly rated backs as not being too good. Then turn around and claim that highly rated recievers were CLEARLY going to be great coming out of college owing to their draft position.

I know you like to argue. Maybe you ought to consider getting a dog? Then you can waste your day telling him how you, and ONLY you, can ascertain a draftees potential before he ever hits the professional field.

He might go for it….if you toss him enough porkchops. Me? I can afford to bujy my own porkchops and recognize a contrarian when I see one.

by Jes2red on May 12, 2011 5:54 PM CDT reply actions

Wow do you want some cheese with that whine? You made the comparisons not me.

By what measure? Michael Irvin was nowhere NEAR as fast as Alexander Wright. I’d take Irvin any day though.

Ever heard of a guy we once tried to draft….name was Jerry Rice. Slow guy from a small school. Went on to have a decent career if memory serves me right. :)

Yeah nobody expected 1rst round WRs to be HOFs. Go and find me where anyone doubted the talent of Rice and Irvin. I am sorry if I refuse to go with the sunshine pumping and I want the guy with the biggest heart BS. When we draft a highly rated Back let me know. Have you seen me complain about drafting Dez? No because he has the talent to be a HOF WR.

Wars are won in the trenches and we need some new big uglies!

by BigDinLA on May 12, 2011 6:09 PM CDT up reply actions

I don't think he actually compared Harris to Irvin.

I think he’s merely stating that speed doesn’t make a receiver great. It obviously didn’t work for Ted Ginn and hasn’t worked for Heyward-Bay so far.

by Fergie3108 on May 12, 2011 8:15 PM CDT up reply actions

You know.....

That was what I was trying to say.
My succint buttom seems to be broken. :)

by Jes2red on May 12, 2011 8:22 PM CDT up reply actions

It happens sometimes!

I got what you were trying to say. I also happen to agree with you. The film I’ve seen on Harris gets me excited about him and what he’ll bring to our offense.

by Fergie3108 on May 12, 2011 9:26 PM CDT up reply actions

Nobody saw Irvin becoming as great as he became.

and nobody on this planet, besides Rice himself, knew that the slow receiver from Mississippi was going to the heights he acheived.

If you think Murray isn’t highly rated, well you haven’t been paying attention. Again, I’d take Switzers recommendations over yours in this regard.

But then, this isn’t about players is it? This is about your need to argue. Uhhh…no thanks. I already have an ex wife.

Murrays on the team. It gives me great joy knowing how much that irks you. Remember not to cheer him as he crosses the goal line….again…and again…and again.

by Jes2red on May 12, 2011 6:20 PM CDT reply actions

How bout that Bill Nagy, amirite?

by Specific on May 12, 2011 8:07 PM CDT reply actions

comparing to Wes Welker?

everyone is saying Harris is our slot WR like Wes Welker, what are Wes’s grades?

by wnb2 on May 13, 2011 12:35 PM CDT reply actions

Wes is missing some measurables (bench and 10 split)

So his grades would be skewed if I gave them. From the looks of what is available, he appears to be pretty average. Really average. What sets Wes apart is his polish and route running ability. That is what makes him so successful.

Harris relies much more on his natural agility, and is poor route runner.

by TheCowboyWay on May 13, 2011 1:03 PM CDT up reply actions

Great work with these posts, TheCowboyWay.

I have no idea how the combine numbers relate to athletic ability, so it’s nice to see them presented in a much simpler fashion for us dumb folk. Red equals bad, green equals good… yes, yes, now I get it!

by ballersteve on May 13, 2011 11:52 PM CDT reply actions

hey the cowboy way...

I see ur stats… do u mind showing the numbers on patrick crayton? I wud love to see how the ex cowboy stack up with these guys

by lostar2009 on May 14, 2011 7:24 AM CDT via mobile reply actions

I would love to include crayton, but unfortunately some of his measurables are unavailable so his gradeout is incomplete.

by TheCowboyWay on May 15, 2011 12:52 PM CDT up reply actions

actaually

Harris reminds me of Davone Bess WR Dolphins, he played at Hawaii
I would TAKE that all day, Bess is one of the better slot WR’s in the NFL

I think Harris is exactly like Bess

Bruce Carter+Sean Lee=BRUCE LEE!!!!

by Archie Barberio on May 14, 2011 6:31 PM CDT reply actions

seriously

idk if I can take these charts seriously now

it has Kevin Ogletree rated HIGHER than Dez Bryant
insane

Bruce Carter+Sean Lee=BRUCE LEE!!!!

by Archie Barberio on May 14, 2011 6:34 PM CDT reply actions

they are based upon the measurables only. Like anything else, this is not an end all be all metric. It is simply a tool to compare these measurables on a level field. This does not say that Ogletree is better than Dez per say, just that his measurables grade out higher. We all know that this is not the whole story… if it was then Roy Williams would be an all world receiver…

by TheCowboyWay on May 14, 2011 10:38 PM CDT up reply actions

However

IF he(Ogletree) does put it together, He could very well take over the #1 spot…..that would be a seriously deep WR core….

With the 9th Pick Dallas Selects Tyron Smith...Romo Weeps in Joy, and Bennet says"I might get to go out in the Pass Pattern now!"

by I am Ironman!!! on May 15, 2011 9:28 AM CDT up reply actions

Maybe Kevin wears his pants in the mall higher than Dez....

by Jes2red on May 14, 2011 8:43 PM CDT reply actions

TBC, I respect what you're doing, but....

Let’s not paint too bleak of a picture of the guy based off of your statistical compilation. To be fair, your compilation is merely one way to look at his potential.

From watching tape, what we do know:
- He has solid hands
- He displays toughness and a willingness to go over the middle
- He has some short-area quickness

We’re not asking this guy to be our #1 receiver – we’re looking for a slot guy. And if you look at the traits above, those are all traits I want in a slot man.

I agree that his route-running does leave something to be desired, but he is a converted QB, so he needs more reps. I don’t expect him to be a big contributor this year, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he was our starting slot receiver by year three.

by Combine_Warrior on May 16, 2011 11:35 AM CDT reply actions

The numbers are what they are

As I have said all along, this is not an end all, be all metric. There are many things that cannot simply be quantified by measurables. If that were the case, there would be no reason to review tape, and UDFAs would never make an impact, and the draft would simply be a list of 1-276 of who had the best measurables…

That being said, I do believe that on tape Harris has shown some ability on tape, but I have seen huge flaws as well. I thought that his strength and agility scores would be higher, as that is what stood out to me on tape, however we also have to remember that was against a lower level of competition. The other low scores are in line with what I expected.

Bottom Line- What this metric shows to me is that Harris does not have the luxury of relying on athletic ability alone (ahem… Ogletree…ahem) and must work to be productive at the next level. If he displays his toughness, and the “right kind of guy” mentality, and puts the work in to perfect his route running, it is likely that we have PC jr. on our hands (who took a couple of seasons to “season” himself…), and if not, well we didn’t have a whole lot invested. Time will tell.

by TheCowboyWay on May 16, 2011 1:32 PM CDT up reply actions