Chris

Harper

The Seahawks’ coaching staff is projecting Harper as a future “X” receiver, a position currently manned by Golden Tate. Tate is entering a contract year, so Harper could ascend to the starting role as soon as 2014 if he shows well in practice as a rookie. In games, he’ll be fighting for snaps on special teams.

The fact is more interesting than indicative of NFL success, but it’s another feather in the cap of an underrated pro prospect. Harper is a big (6-foot-1, 229), physical run-after-catch receiver with strong hands. He projects as a third- or fourth-round pick, but could develop into a quality No. 2/possession threat.

It’s another great value pick by GM John Schneider. Harper (6-foot 3/4, 229) was Collin Klein’s go-to guy in 2012, catching 58 balls for 857 yards (14.8 YPR) and three touchdowns. The stats weren’t sensational in K-State’s mind-numbing run-first offense, but Harper is a highly physical receiver with big (9 3/4") strong hands and impressive tape, winning at the catch point with strength. Drawing some Anquan Boldin comparisons, Harper ran 4.55 at the Combine with a 35.5-inch vertical and 20 bench-press reps. Harper lacks true separation skills, but projects as a classic Z receiver. He’ll play special teams as a rookie and fight for wideout snaps in a year or three.

Golden Tate is Seattle’s incumbent X. Harper probably won’t overtake him as a rookie, but Tate is entering a contract year. “We don’t see him as a slot guy,” Carroll said of Harper. “We see him as an outside receiver. He’s got some real special qualities that we’ll learn and make use of. But we’ll see him mostly at X.” Harper figures to focus on playing special teams as a rookie.

Harper is the No. 6 receiver in Seattle at the moment, and that doesn’t include Percy Harvin (hip, PUP). Harper has the prototypical build of a red-zone/possession receiver at 6-foot-1, 229, but he lacks separation skills. He has just three catches for 23 yards this preseason. Jermaine Kearse and Stephen Williams have out-produced him. Harper will surely be kept on the practice squad if he passes through waivers. He’ll see plenty of work Thursday night.

In a surprise, Harper passed through waivers despite being the 123rd overall pick in April’s draft. In Seahawks camp, the Kansas State alum couldn’t beat out Jermaine Kearse or Stephen Williams for a 53-man roster spot.

It’s just the latest example of “everyone competes” in Seattle, but it’s still extremely unusual for a team to cut ties with a fourth-round pick after only four months. Harper was badly out-played by second-year UDFA WR Jermaine Kearse, however, and it cost him his roster spot. The Seahawks will now try to stash Harper on the practice squad, but there’s a strong chance he’ll get claimed. Standing in at 6-foot-1, 229 pounds, Harper posted a 4.55 40-yard dash and 35.5-inch vertical leap at the Combine. He also recorded the highest Wonderlic of any receiver.

The fourth-round rookie out of Kansas State was surprisingly beaten out by Jermaine Kearse and Stephen Williams for a roster spot in Seattle. Now Harper will slide in as the sixth man in the 49ers’ undistinguished receiver room. He’ll have to show well in order to stay on the roster once Mario Manningham (knee) and Michael Crabtree (Achilles’) get healthy.

Although he lacks ideal height, Harper is built like a tight end at 6-foot-1, 229 pounds, while his 4.55 speed isn’t prohibitive for a receiver, but is far better for a tight end. Strong handed, Harper did his best work after the catch at Kansas State. It’s an idea that might not stick, but would seem to be worth trying after Seattle made Harper the rare fourth-round pick to get cut. Either way, Harper will likely be limited to special teams if he manages to keep his roster spot.

Harper scored a 33 on the Wonderlic exam, and the 49ers believe he can handle multiple roles and a variety of positions. Harper and Walker aren’t much different in terms of build, and the former has more straight-line speed. The Niners will attempt to develop Harper for a season before trying him on offense.