EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. -- Rick Spielman wasn't ready to divulge a name but his excitement over a possible safety addition in college free agency was easy to see after the NFL Draft had finished.
After the draft went by and the Minnesota Vikings didn't add competition at safety, the general manager was asked of his plans for the position. Spielman spoke highly of last year's draft pick, Antone Exum, and also mentioned the two players who split time starting next to standout Harrison Smith last year, Robert Blanton and Andrew Sendejo.
Spielman was smiling wide but holding back because anything could happen as undrafted players, free to sign with any team, are courted with free-agent offers.
"I'll let you know when our college (free) agency comes out," Spielman would only say, cryptically.
Spielman's enthusiasm was reserved for one reason: Anthony Harris.
Harris, a three-year starter from Virginia, was expected to be drafted. A third-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference as a senior, he was fifth in the ACC with 108 tackles last season and was a team captain. He had 10 interceptions the past two seasons and was a first-team all-conference player as a junior with eight interceptions. Some draft analysts believed he could go as early as the third round.
Perhaps a right shoulder injury, which required December surgery, scared teams away from the 6-foot-1, 183-pound safety. Whatever the reason, Harris went undrafted and heard from plenty of teams who wanted to sign him as a free agent.
Harris, 23, thought the Vikings were the best fit.
"You got to love it as a defensive back," Harris said at the team's recent rookie minicamp. "They've got great position coaches in coach (Jerry) Gray and (assistant defensive backs coach Jonathan Gannon), and coach (Mike) Zimmer, a defensive-minded guy (who) works very well with defensive backs. So I felt like it was a good opportunity for me to get around some guys who've been in the business a long time and been very successful, and try to help improve my game."
Harris was also looking for a place he can play. Zimmer, who will have a competition for the second starting safety next to Smith, liked what he saw in Harris, as well.
"He's a very instinctive, smart, very, very smart, very communicative safety," Zimmer said. "I think he plays really hard. He has a lot of the traits of the starting safeties in this league."
Zimmer and the coaching staff will try to make the most of those traits while they search for a starting safety. Exum, if Spielman's positive remarks are any indication, could have a good chance to earn the starting job. Blanton and Sendejo return and the team added veteran safety Taylor Mays in free agency.
Meanwhile, Harris is an athletic and productive project at the position. In three years as a starter for Virginia, he had 275 tackles, 19 passes defensed and 11 interceptions, showing a willingness to defend the run with the ability to play in coverage.
"Just kind of knowing what's going to happen before it actually does," Harris said of his knack for getting his hands on the ball. "There's a lot of preparation that goes into it; a lot of studying, knowing the game, knowing how offenses are going to attack you, knowing your defense and a little bit of athleticism and just good coaching putting myself in the right position."
Harris didn't miss any playing time at Virginia because of the shoulder injury but is still recovering from postseason surgery. At the team's rookie minicamp the week after the draft, Harris was a very interested bystander.
"It's tough, but I just have a positive attitude," Harris said of sitting out rookie camp. "Do what I can to put myself in the best position to perform well when they tell me I'm ready to go. Right now I'm just learning as much as I can, talking to the coaches, in their pocket, taking the coaching tips not only when I'm out there watching but when they're helping other guys out. So, I'm just trying to do what I can mentally and be ready to go when the doctors tell me to go."
Spielman and the Vikings will then get to see if the anticipation was worth the wait.
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