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Fifth-round pick Nick Harris was one of the best centers in the 2020 NFL Draft. He comes to a Browns team that has a very good veteran center in JC Tretter, one of the best pivots in the league right now.
Browns GM Andrew Berry is excited to get Harris into the Cleveland pipeline behind Tretter, but also left the door open for the rookie from Washington to at least audition at guard, too.
“We view Nick as another good young player that we had the opportunity to acquire at that point in the draft,’’ Berry said. “We do view his skill set as a little bit more focused at center and I think he’s a perfect scheme fit for what we want to do with our offense because of his movement skills, athleticism, and intelligence.”
Berry continued,
“Obviously we love JC, he’s our starter, he’s a proven player, proven veteran at the position for a number of years and Nick will learn a lot from him as well as a number of the veterans that we have in that position group.”
Because Tretter is entrenched as the starter at center, Harris is going to get some work at guard. He played right guard at Washington before sliding into center, so it won’t be unfamiliar at all. The concept of cross-training positions is something Berry is prepared to emphasize with all the interior linemen.
“We do have a number of interior players that we will cross-train. Nick’s primary home has been at the center throughout his college career,” Berry said. “That doesn’t mean that he is not going to take some guard snaps, but we have a couple of young players – whether it’s Nick, Wyatt Teller, Drew Forbes or we signed Evan Brown recently – and a number of guys who have played both center and guard so it should be good competition in that spot.”