NY Giants may have found hidden gem in DB Madre Harper

The new NY Giants defensive back should be able to contribute early.

The NY Giants have signed defensive back Madre Harper off of the Las Vegas Raiders practice squad. The exact numbers haven’t come out yet, but it was reported by Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network that the Giants gave Harper a signing bonus in order to get him to leave Las Vegas and head to East Rutherford.

The question from NY Giants fans following this signing however is who is Madre Harper?

In short, Madre Harper is a big-time cornerback from a small-time school. Harper started his college career at Oklahoma State University (scoring on his first play) before transferring to Southern Illinois to become a Saluki.

Harper offers a combination of size and speed that very few other cornerbacks can offer. At 6’2 and 190 pounds, Harper ran a 4.41 40-yard dash time.

Relative Athletic Score (RAS) is a metric that simplifies athleticism on a scale of 1-10 based on combined testing and size numbers. Madre Harper had a RAS of 9.99/10 following his pro day at Southern Illinois.

Harper is an athlete without a doubt, and he also brings solid technique and a dog mentality. In his final year with the Southern Illinois Salukis, Harper tallied 42 tackles, one tackle for a loss, two interceptions, 14 passes defended, and half a sack.

Post-football, Harper wants to invest in real estate and be an entrepreneur. Harper has also expressed that he wants to sponsor his cousin in the Special Olympics and give back to charity.

While the NY Giants may be in the midst of a long, disappointing season, signing Madre Harper off of the Raiders practice squad is positive move. Harper has an absurd amount of untapped potential and the opportunity to get on the field early in a weak NY Giants secondary.