My breakdowns up to now have focused on offense but after yesterday I wanted to take a break to give some love to a guy that I'm turning into a big fan of. Chris Harris.

By now we all know the story. A 3 year starter at Kansas who when Turner Gill took over was asked to move to safety. Being a good soldier he moved to safety and took his lumps. Leading up to the draft Gill's staff told scouts that Harris was not an NFL caliber player. He went undrafted and has, through hard work and effort, become a starter.

One thing that really impresses me is Harris' tackling. We've been blessed to watch one of the best tackling corners of all time, Champ Bailey, for the last decade or so. Chris Harris is very much cut from the same cloth and here's a play that shows that.

12:17 3rd Quarter / 1st & 10 / Ball on DEN 29

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Cleveland is lined up in 11 personnel on the left hash. The formation is strong to the boundary with Trent Richardson as the single back. Denver is in the nickel with 2 down lineman and Doom and Von at the end spots standing up. Chris Harris in the slot lined up on Greg Little.

via i.imgur.com

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At the snap, the LG and C get a good double team at the point of attack. The RG pulls to lead block through the B gap. Danny Trevathan does a great job filling the B gap and occupying the pulling guard. At this point Richardson can bounce outside but there are two Broncos defenders to the outside and there is not much real estate to work with the boundary fouling things up. Von gets too deep playing the pass, so instead Richardson cuts it back. Greg Little is making a run at Chris Harris to block but Harris reads it well.

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Harris does well to avoid the block and sets up a 1-on-1 in space with a very talented running back. Back in his days in Alabama these were the situations where Richardson would either make the defender miss or bowl right over them. But Cleveland ain't Alabama and Denver sure as heck ain't Mississippi State.

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Harris goes right in for Richardson's legs and wraps up Richardson's left leg. Again at Alabama this is when Richardson would step right out of the tackle and go for good yardage.

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Chris Harris is a tenacious tackler. He twists and turns to hold on to the runner until the cavalry arrives to finish the play.

Undrafted 2nd Year DB: 1, No. 3 Overall Draft Pick RB: 0

Let's hear it for Chris Harris and all the great undrafted players on this defense (Mitch Unrein, Wesley Woodyard, Tony Carter).