Bowling Green State University Athletics
Harris Plays The Waiting Game
April 22, 2004 | Football
April 22, 2004
By JACK CARLE, Sentinel Sports Editor - The preparation is done.
All Josh Harris can do is wait.
Sometime this weekend, the former standout quarterback at Bowling Green will have his name called during the National Football League draft. Then he and his wife, Tammy, can start making more definite plans about their future. The seven-round draft starts Saturday and concludes Sunday and is being telecast on the ESPN networks.
"It seems like it's taken forever," Harris said earlier this week about the preparation. Not knowing where he and his wife are going to be living is the most frustrating part of the waiting, he said.
Harris plans to watch the draft with family in Columbus.
Now listed at 6-feet-1 1/2, 238 pounds, Harris has yo-yoed up and down various draft lists. He's been projected as one of the top eight quarterbacks in the draft and a mid-round choice.
Harris says he's seen the draft projections, but doesn't believe it's all true -- "Mel Kiper and his bunch, all they can do is guess."
There are three teams which have shown more than a passing interest in Harris.
 BGSU quarterback Josh Harris (5) high-fives with coach Gregg Brandon, left, in the final minutes of their 28-24 win over Northwestern in the Motor City Bowl, Friday, Dec. 26, 2003, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)  |
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However, Harris could be drafted by a team that has kept its interest under the radar.
"Everyone has different preferences," Harris said.
While Harris is not a true drop-back pocket passer, he says he can bring a number of things to a team which drafts him, including his ability to turn a broken play into a big play.
Harris is represented by Joel Segal, the CEO of Worldwide Football with offices in New York and Miami.
"What's special about Josh and separates him from other players, besides his rocket-like arm and attention to detail, is his maturity compared to other players at this stage," Segal said.
"The Josh that I have known is a guy mature beyond his years, cerebral in his approach and is prepared.
"I've never seen a young man work harder preparing for the draft."
It's been a whirlwind for Harris since leading the Falcons to a 28-24 victory over Northwestern in the Motor City Bowl on Dec. 26. The victory capped an 11-3 season and Harris' career in which he set several school and conference records. He is BG's career scoring leader.
Since finishing his BG career, Harris has taken part in the Senior Bowl, where he was evaluated by NFL front-office personnel, and in the NFL combine which featured numerous mental and physical tests and examinations.
"It seemed like you were always being watched," Harris said of the combine experience. "I just tried to be myself and not let it get to me ... it seems everything is a test.
"You had to be mature to deal with the situation and not lose sight of why you were there."
Segal said Harris made a positive impression during the combine with his ability to analyze plays.
"The reaction around the league was that Josh had an amazing presence and was able to go up and diagram a play like he had been studying for weeks," Segal said.
Harris was at Tom Shaw's Speed Enhancement camp in Louisiana from January until mid-March. Danny Wuerffel, the 1996 Heisman Trophy winner, was the quarterbacks coach at the camp.
"Josh, being a student of the game, really clicked with Danny," Segal said. "I think that experience was helpful."
