BEREA - You couldn't help but see the infectious smile of Jerome Harrison in
the locker room prior to taking part in his first mini-camp practice with the
Browns.
Listed at 5-9, Harrison said he was told he would be drafted as high as the
second round. Most feel the reason he dropped to the fifth-round was the fact he
is small in stature.
“I'm fine with my size,” Harrison said. “I've not had any surgeries or missed
any time due to my size.Things happen for a reason. I can't complain about being
drafted in the fifth-round. I will meet up with the (teams) that passed me up.
“I was told I'd go in the second round,” he said. “There's no exact science
to the draft. I wasn't down about the draft. I just wanted the opportunity.”
He has the opportunity with the Browns as Phil Savage stated heading into the
draft the Browns had a need for a change of pace back to spell Reuben Droughns.
“I can catch the ball and make things happen out of the backfield,” he said.
Harrison was very productive this past season as he rushed for 1,900 yards,
including 16 touchdowns. He averaged 172 yards a game at Washington State. He
also ended his career with 14 straight 100-yard games, including four 200-yard
games.
“I don't think I have to say anything,” Harrison said. “You can name any
running back (in the draft) and put in the film and look at it and it will speak
for itself.”
Harrison said he was the focal point of defensive coordinators game planning
him each week.
“I didn't care what defenses did to try and stop me,” Harrison said. “All it
takes is for one guy to miss a tackle. I just line up and play football.”
Harrison was timed at 4.47 in the 40-yard dash at his workout. He said
growing up on the east side of Kalamazoo his favorite player was Barry Sanders—a
player who was also undersized.
“I grew up watching Barry Sanders,” he said. “LaDanian Tomlinson and I have
similar styles, but he's probably the premier running back in the NFL.
“Ask me in a couple of years on who I compare to.”