New York Giants Draft Prospect: CB Jermari Harris, Iowa

Jermari Harris's background in a zone-heavy defense could make him attractive enough for the Giants to consider taking a flier on.
Nov 2, 2024; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes defensive back Jermari Harris (27) reacts against the Wisconsin Badgers during the second quarter at Kinnick Stadium.
Nov 2, 2024; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes defensive back Jermari Harris (27) reacts against the Wisconsin Badgers during the second quarter at Kinnick Stadium. / Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
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With the New York Giants sticking with defensive coordinator Shane Bowen, getting corners who have excelled in zone coverage is a plus. Iowa's Jermari Harris is one such player who might be worth a late Day 3 flier and who meets that criteria.

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Jermari Harris, CB

Height: 6’1
Weight: 190 lbs
Class: RS-Senior
School: Iowa
Stats


Jermari Harris is a former three-star recruit out of Montini Catholic High School in Lombard, Illinois, where he was the 33rd prospect from his state and the 136th CB recruit during the 2019 cycle.

Harris was suspended for the 2022 opening game due to his arrest stemming from an OWI charge (operating while intoxicated). He subsequently hurt his ankle and did not see the football field for the entirety of the 2022 season.

Although Harris earned the 2023 Comeback Player of the Year, he was also suspended for two games in that season due to a gambling investigation.

Harris opted out of the final few games of the 2024 season and decided to undergo an undisclosed medical procedure. Harris had multiple injuries throughout his six seasons on campus. He will be in attendance at the East-West Shrine Game.

Strengths

Good long CB build – should have over 32” arms
Solid overall athlete for the position with good closing burst when square
Showed immediate explosive nature vs Illinois State on quick curl INT (Q1 9:52 2nd & 7)
Good acceleration and recovery speed (Q2 1:26 2nd & 6, Minnesota)
Good acceleration to jam and carry routes vertically
Physical at the LOS with solid one hand jam ability
Rides WRs up their stem and does an excellent job toeing the line between physical and too physical – Only penalized twice in his career
Pops WRs at the LOS and stays in their hip on short/intermediate cuts
Mirror and matches well in man coverage in the short/intermediate
Solid job carrying horizontal/vertical routes in man coverage
Very good overall zone awareness – better with routes in front of him
Excellent ball skills and timing – finds the football
Good overall awareness and anticipatory skills to undercut routes
Good eyes and vision – had eight interceptions
Plays well through the catch point
Willing run support player – has shown physicality
Played on both the right and left side (field & boundary)
Ample special teams experience

Iowa Hawkeyes defensive back Jermari Harris
Sep 14, 2024; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes defensive back Jermari Harris (27) reacts after scoring a 28-yard interception return for a touchdown against the Troy Trojans during the third quarter at Kinnick Stadium. / Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Weaknesses

Lacks true long speed
Not the most fluid for a CB
Takes an extra step to decelerate and flip his hips on half turns
Transitions out of half turn could improve – bit stiff
More geared to thrive as a zone defender than man
Will get tunnel vision on quarterback too frequently
Lost positional relationship multiple times when in C3 inside leverage to field
WRs worked into his blindspot – sub-optimal awareness of their positioning
Receivers snuck away from his detection too frequently in field C3 leverage
Although he displays physicality, I wish he was more consistent authoritative as a tackler
Sturdy, but feet could get stuck in the mud as a tackler
Missed 9 tackles in each of his final two seasons (23.1% MTR / 15.5% MTR)
Was suspended multiple times
Dealt with several injuries that required surgery
Will be an older rookie – was in the 2019 recruiting cycle

Summary

Jermari Harris is a long zone cornerback with good eyes and understanding on how to attack through the catch point. He is a sufficient athlete for the position but lacks long speed and quick change of direction skills while in a half-turn – he’s not completely stiff, but isn’t overly fluid either. Harris has a knack for getting his hands on the football with eight career picks from a variety of different leverages and in several situations.

Harris does lock onto the quarterback a bit too frequently when in zone, allowing receivers to work into his blind spot and away from his coverage. He’s a physical player who does an elite job pushing the boundaries of allowable contact without crossing the line. His best fit is a zone system, but he can play man coverage. Teams will have to vet his past and his injuries, but he has the potential to be a valuable asset in a secondary room.

GRADE: 6.21

Nick Falato's Draft Grade Chart
Nick Falato's Draft Grade Chart / Nick Falato

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Nick Falato
NICK FALATO

Nick Falato is co-host of the Big Blue Banter podcast. In addition to Giants Country, his work has appeared on SB Nation.