49ers’ 2018 ‘Who Is?’ series: Safety Marcell Harris
By Peter Panacy
Niner Noise takes a look at San Francisco 49ers rookie safety Marcell Harris in our latest “Who Is?” installment for 2018, projecting the defensive back’s potential impact this season.
The San Francisco 49ers took a bit of a gamble when they selected former Florida defensive back Marcell Harris in Round 6 of the 2018 NFL Draft, No. 184 overall.
Harris suffered an Achilles injury in 2017, which forced him to miss the entirety of his senior year. This surely hurt his draft stock. And it also invoked memories of the Niners’ “All ACL” team, which was made so infamous by the draft efforts of former general manager Trent Baalke.
Baalke’s tendencies to draft injured players replicated themselves a bit in 2018. For current GM John Lynch and Co., the hope clearly is Harris can wind up being a solid addition.
Based off numbers alone, Harris should be:
Provided by CFB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 5/30/2018.
By accounts, Harris should be healthy by the start of training camp. And while he didn’t participate in on-field activities at the NFL Scouting Combine and his subsequent pro day, the hopes are he’ll be able to contribute as soon as possible.
Recovering from his Achilles might thwart his NFL-level development. Combined with a crowded crop of safeties in 2018, what are the chances Harris makes the cut this season?
Let’s dive a little deeper, shall we?
Why Marcell Harris Improves in 2018
At 6-foot-0 and 208 pounds, Harris’ abilities can be summed up by one simple adjective: hard hitting.
You can get the idea by watching the video below:
Harris is a willing tackler, never shying away from contact and taking good routes to ball carriers near the line of scrimmage.
These kinds of abilities all but peg Harris as a would-be strong safety, particularly within a down-in-the-box scheme, which is exactly what the 49ers do with this specific position.
Why He Regresses
The Achilles is a notable red flag. His first few weeks during OTAs and minicamps will likely be spent going through strength and conditioning, which may hurt his acclimation to pro-level play. There isn’t a lot out there about his on-field workouts. But being limited in action, especially for a late-round rookie, isn’t a good thing.
San Francisco 49ers
Additionally, as Niners Wire’s Jerod Brown pointed out, Harris’ inexperience and, at times, over-aggressive nature means he’s not suited for a free safety spot. He needs to be up towards the line of scrimmage.
Particularly with late-round prospects, the ability to be flexible and versatile goes a long way. Harris has yet to show he’s capable of being such.
What to Expect with the 49ers in 2018
The simple analysis is Harris is pegged as a possible reserve option for starting strong safety Jaquiski Tartt, who missed half of 2017 with an arm injury.
Tartt had a similar stature and skill set when he broke into the league, eventually developing his coverage skills and showcasing the versatility to double as a free safety if needed.
That’s the hope for Harris, whose intimidation factor could go a long way in cracking the 53-man roster.
If San Francisco is looking to play Harris in the box without having to worry about sideline-to-sideline coverage, the rookie may thrive. But his relative lack of experience, especially as of late, could relegate Harris to something of an afterthought.
Especially if one of the other many young defensive backs earn favor with the coaching staff.
Next: Ranking each 49ers position by strength in 2018
As far as making the roster, one might argue Harris is on the weaker side of the bubble right now. It wouldn’t be a shock to see the Niners stash him on injured reserve or the non-football injury list (often used for players still recovering from collegiate injuries). This would allow Harris to fully recover, while banking on his ability to translate his skills to the pro level.