Josh Harper, Wide Receiver, Fresno State Bulldogs
6'1", 191 pounds
Mocking the Draft position ranking (as of March 31): 20
Mocking the Draft overall ranking (as of April 9): 145
What's most different for me than the other top receivers, I would say, is kinda being the underdog. Nobody really knows me; some do, but I'm mostly still under the radar. The all-star games, Combine and things like that, that's all real important for me to separate myself from the middle-of-the-pack players. For those guys, they are pretty much set in the first two rounds. On my side, I still have to work to show I deserve to be drafted, especially coming from a small school like Fresno State. I really can't take anything for granted.
Josh Harper, to The Sporting News' Rana Cash
Strengths: Some may view Harper's familial connections to the NFL as a positive; his father, Willie Harper, played for over a decade at the pro level and contributed to San Francisco's first Super Bowl victory in 1981, and his brother Matthew currently serves on the Philadelphia Eagles coaching staff. He's been praised for his body control, which allows him to make tough catches down the field, and the QB-friendly offense in Fresno allowed him plenty of opportunity to show off his elusiveness on crossing routes and bubble screens.
Weaknesses: Harper's injury history can't be ignored if you're of the belief that health is a skill; though he didn't miss any time last season, he has been sidelined by a litany of ailments in the past: a sports hernia, hamstring, foot and knee issues. While agility and body control are considered plusses, his strength has questions around it, given his relatively slight frame. He improved his 40-yard time between the Combine and Fresno State's pro day, though some evaluations have questioned exactly how he uses that speed at times: Lance Zierlein of NFL.com noted a tendency toward "unorthodox route running", while CBS Sports' Dane Brugler and Rob Rang expressed concern about "wasted movement" and "[dancing] too much trying to make defenders miss."
Projected Round: 6
Projected Likely Destination: Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, St. Louis Rams