Player Profile: Percy Harvin WR Florida

Pros: Harvin is extremely explosive. He can make multiple cuts and never loses speed when doing so. He lined up in the slot, split, running back, and even at quarterback for the direct snap. He has great lateral quickness and strength to beat press coverage. He stands 5’11’’ but runs with great leverage, staying very low to the ground, and uses that to make himself a small target. The former Gator has excellent vision and knows how to avoids big hits. He proved he is very tough and dedicated when he stayed at Florida to rehab his badly sprained ankle as the team left for Christmas break. He played in the National Championship game at less than 100 percent and was a huge factor as the Gators took home the Championship. Despite never returning a kick at in college, Harvin will have no trouble handling return duties for his NFL team.

Cons: Lacks the traditional height NFL teams look for. He did not run very complicated routes in Florida’s spread offense, so there are questions about his ability to handle the type of routes needed for NFL. Much of his best work as a collegian wasn’t when he was lined up as a receiver, but in the offensive backfield. He doesn’t offer a lot when blocking and that probably won’t change at the next level. Durability is a huge concern after he suffered hip, ankle, knee and heel injuries in college. It seems as if he has an x-amount of hits his body can absorb before he inevitably is injured.

Scouts Take: In a very fast SEC conference, Harvin’s speed and quickness stood out both on runs and passes. With the evolution of the spread offense and “wildcat” formations, Harvin is an offensive coordinator's dream. Surrounded by playmakers at Florida, Harvin was the National Champs' most exciting player and when 100 percent arguably their best player. He should be a nice fit for a team that already has big receivers and a solid quarterback. If he is put in the right type of offensive system he should be very effective in a number of ways. He resembles Reggie Bush in the way that he needs to get the ball in space to make people miss. He should show up on the highlight reels several times next season and through out his career. Like Bush, he will need to find his identity and avoid nagging injuries. If he can do so, he will be a dynamic player and a fan favorite. His explosive play and versatility should land him somewhere in the middle of the first round.

Photo Credit: SEC Sports Media