Exclusive Interview: Meet Steelers New CB Madre Harper
PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers are looking for young, talented cornerbacks to take over their defensive backfield and, with the help of a veteran like Patrick Peterson, become a solidified group this team can look toward the future with.
One member of that young core looking to fight his way into a roster spot this season is 25-year-old Madre Harper. The Southern Illinois alum spent last season with the Carolina Panthers before signing a futures/reserve contract with the Steelers this spring.
He carries three seasons of NFL experience with him to Pittsburgh, signing with the Las Vegas Raiders as an undrafted rookie, and spending the next two seasons with the New York Giants and Panthers.
Learning from an impressive list of veterans over the years, Harper believes he's in the perfect city for the style of football he plays. At 6'2, 200 pounds, with experience on the outside and inside, he's ready to earn his stripes in the Steel City.
Let's meet the Steelers' new cornerback, Madre Harper.
Q: So, I heard you picked specifically picked the Steelers as the team you wanted to sign with this offseason?
Harper: So me and my team really felt like Mike Tomlin is a guy who just, you know, he likes the grit. He likes old-school traditions. He likes people that work hard. And I mean, I guess every coach says they do. But, like, you know, it's been a tradition from the Steelers from time and time again. Remember, he's been a coach since I was 10, just to give people a little background. So I've been watching the Steelers my whole life. I already know that up there, in that division, people are gonna hit hard, they're gonna play hard, and they're gonna fight to the last whistle. And everybody knows that it's been like that since forever.
My OGs, my dad, everybody always talked about that. And I mean, the ability to play for a coach who likes my size of DBs, because you know, I guess now that the league started transferring it to taller DBs, and short DBS are still not out. But you know, that is his body frame, that's the type of DBs that he likes. And I just thought it'd be a really good match, to play for somebody who's been in the league so long.
I still have a lot to learn. ... You think about playing for a coach like that, who has seen some of the greats at safety, corner, like, come on now that's something that I can benefit from and learn from. So I thought it was a great fit.
Q: Take me through your NFL journey. Undrafted, signed with the Raiders, and then bounced from the Giants and Panthers the next two seasons. What's that been like?
Harper: I mean, obviously, yeah, it's been rough, you know, bouncing from team to team and, trying to find a spot. Some of its just numbers, you know, money-wise, everything's there that plays into a part. But I mean, for me it's straight because it allowed me to play for different systems, different positions, different coaching styles. And that just made me a better player overall, and able to adapt to different situations.
I know, nobody wants to get cut, but at the end of the day, we know it's a possibility. We know what comes with the game. That doesn't mean that you're not a good player. It doesn't mean you won't shine somewhere else. But I just may not have been your time. And I think it gave me a good sense of, for one, to keep working hard. A lot of people may get discouraged, you know, they may come down on themselves. But for me, it taught me, I'm going to keep getting signed, I'm gonna keep going, I'm gonna keep fighting because I know that I can play, I know I'm supposed to be in this league.
And then like I said, it gave me an opportunity to play on different systems play different positions, and that ultimately grew my football knowledge. Because I feel like at this stage, everybody can run jump, you know, we're all athletic. But at the end of the day, when it comes to the small details and those small plays, that's where the knowledge in the football mental comes in, and who can be more consistent every play? Who knows what's coming, because at DB at this level, unless you have some type of anticipation, it's gonna be hard to make plays. In college you'll rely on me being faster, me just being stronger. But everybody's like that in the NFL.
Me at the Giants with Logan Ryan and James Bradberry and Adoree Jackson, you know, like, man, James is so smart. Logan is so smart, putting his body what needs to be, seeing the play before it happens so he just gives you that little bit more, and that's a pick, or that's a good play, that's a PBU. So that just helped me ultimately. I think it helped me, tremendously.
Q: Futures contracts are always fighting from the ground up at training camp. What's your approach to show the coaches you need to stick around?
Harper: So my thing is just going in there and one, just building trust. Since I've been in the league these couple years, I know that you have to build trust with the coaching staff, trust with the head coach and just trust with the whole organization that, one, you're gonna carry yourself like a pro. I'm gonna be on time, I'm gonna be working hard, I'm gonna be available, be healthy and know what to do and perform at the same time. So, my goal not really too concerned about you know, 'oh, I'm gonna go in there and start at corner,' like no no no. I'm gonna go in there and show these guys that I can be used in a multitude of things, whether it's special teams coming in at DB, coming in at nickel package, a dime package, whatever they need me to be I'm gonna be. That means rundown on kickoff and getting the tackle inside the 20, that's what it must be. I'm ultimately there to help them win games and just contribute and show them that this is the athlete I am, this is the work I want to put in and this is the organization that I want to be a part of.
Q: And finally, you mentioned some impressive names you've played with over the years. Now you get to play with Patrick Peterson. How can you use that to add to your arsenal?
Harper: You're talking about Patrick Peterson. You're talking about a dude who caught punts. Like, that's somebody we've been watching. So I'm from Texas. So when I was growing up, LSU was DBU. I know Ohio State have a lot of DBs coming out, but I am from Texas. LSU was the school. That was the school for DBs. So everybody wants to go to LSU, man. I didn't get that offer I wanted. I went down there for a visit, but I didn't get the offer. But, like, you're talking about Pat P, legendary dude, who's been in the game, who's been All-Pro, who still can move at his age. So people have to remember, think about that type of level of knowledge I can gain. How have you been able to stay healthy this long? Stay able to run this long? Stay able to still perform this long? We know a lot of dudes were fast at the beginning of their career and start to decline. He could still move, still run.
So to me, the level of preparation that he goes through, I want to hear from him. Then on the football side, I mean, that's understood. The way He sees things, the way he operates. I mean, come on, that's worldly going to improve my game. So I'm excited for that mentorship and just to be a part of that, and obviously, you know, I'm big on just listening and gain everything I can, because ultimately, no matter how long I play, I'm never gonna know everything and there's always room for improvement and always room to learn from people because we all see things differently.
With the Giants, I had Logan Ryan, James Bradbury at the Panthers. You know, I had Stephon Gilmore and A.J. Bouye, and even, I know Josh Norman came late, only the two games last year, but he still taught us a lot. So I've had some good vets who have been in the league, who have performed, and who have gotten paid in the league, rightfully so. So I feel like that's another step in the right place for me to just improve my game.
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