Interview: Fresno State WR Josh Harper
Q: Josh, we spoke at media day in Vegas before the season and I told you we were keeping an eye on you. How does being told you’re on the watch list compare to being officially in?
A: It’s a great feeling to know that I'm actually on the senior bowl list now instead of being on the watch list. I’m finally there. It’s like a dream come true.
Q: Does being on a watch list like this add any pressure on you to perform?
A: No, not at all. I think it would raise my competition and my level of play. I wouln’t say it put any pressure on me at all.
Q: How’d it feel to get the invitation?
A: Once I saw the letter in my hands, I was just real excited. It lit up my face with a big smile.
Q: How did Coach Tim DeRuyter give you the invitation?
A: I don’t remember because once I got the invitation I was just so excited. I can’t really remember how he did it. I know he gave me one invitation first and then at the last minute he said ‘come back we got one more for you’ and gave me the Senior Bowl invite.
Q: Coach DeRuyter is your second head coach at Fresno State. What’s it like to play for a coach like him?
A: It was great. I was blessed to have two terrific head coaches in my college career. It’s great. All of our practices are up-tempo and we're moving everywehere, we’re never walking on the field. He’s just a great dude.
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Q: Your Dad played in the Senior Bowl too, which I’m sure is really cool for you. What’s it like to be a second generation Senior Bowler?
A: It’s great. He tells me all the stories that he had in the Senior Bowl. Just to follow in his footsteps. He was actually my first coach and he never stopped coaching me in my football career. Just having him in my life is big and to be able to follow his footsteps and be in the Senior Bowl is even bigger.
Q: Your Dad played 10 years in the NFL, what have you learned from him?
A: Everything. He’s the one that I credit to my catching ability. Since a youngster, they had me at the park doing catching drills from the start even when I wasn’t a receiver. I guess he knew I was going to be a receiver in college and high school. I credit my Dad to most of my abilithes that I have today.
Q: Your dad taught you how to catch? He was a linebacker!
A: I know. It’s crazy. He just had these drills. He got me doing these drills since I started playing football. When I was a quarterback he had me doing these catching drills from the start. (Laughs). I know it’s kind of crazy, but it’s true.
Q: One of the big drills for the wide receivers during Senior Bowl week is the one-on-one’s. With that in mind, who’s the best cornerback you’ve gone up against?
A: The best corner in my whole college career? I would say Boise State’s number five. Jamar Taylor. I would say him.
Q: And Jamar Taylor was a second round pick. You know who else was a second pick, Josh?
A: Who else?
Q: Your Dad was a second round pick and went 41st overall, so who’s going the higher draft pick when it’s all said and done, you or your Dad?
A: Man, hopefully me, but I know it’s going to take a lot of hard work and a lot of producing on the field so hopefully me. Hopefully I can get there.
Q: Any advice from your Dad on how to handle the week?
A: I haven’t talked to him about that yet, but I’m pretty sure we’ll be having that talk very soon. He’ll tell me everything that goes on up there and how to handle everything. I’m sure we’re going to have that talk real soon.
Q: You have eight siblings, is that right?
A: Yeah, eight siblings. Nine including me.
Q: How was that growing up?
A: It was great. Just to have a big family and I look up to all my brothers and sisters and just having them there for me. It was crazy once they all started moving out and I was the only one for a couple years. It was crazy, it didn’t feel right because I was always used to having a full house. It was great, it was real great.
Q: I’m sure you block out a lot of the speculation on the internet, but I saw somewhere online that the Raiders should draft you because they have Derek Carr. Can you describe how important the quarterback-receiver relationship is to you and how you develop it?
A: It’s very important and I had the opportunity to play with Derek for three yaers. We know each other very well, he’s a good dude on and off the field. That relationship between the quarterback and receiver is really, really, really important.
Q: How do you go about developing it? Are you the guy waiting for the quarterback or as the receiver are you going to initiate the relationship?
A: It’s an in-between thing. I don’t want to force the quarterback to do something, so I’ll say it’s an in-between thing.
Q: You went from having a pro quarterback that was a pocket passer in Derek Carr to this year having more of a dual threat guy. How was that adjustment?
A: I wouldn’t say it was too big of an adjustment because we still have the same system. I still have to go out there and run my routes the same and do my blocking and everything like that.
Q: Last year, you were one of three receivers that had over 1,000 yards receiving. It’s only the fifth time ever that a team had a trio of 1,000 yard receivers. Take me through that season and how it happened.
A: From the start of the season, that was our plan. We all talked about it. Our plan was we could be one of the few teams that have three receivers go for a 1,000. We worked hard in practice, we worked away from practice, we got to kow each other better on and off the field. It was just a combination of all those things, getting to know each other better, throwing when we’re not supposed to throw, going up to the facility watching film together. It was a great thing to be able to accomplish.
Q: Now this year you had to become the go-to guy. Other than having a new quarterback, how much did things change?
A: Man, just more coverages focusing on me. Not as many one-on-ones that I liked, but that’s the main adjustment that I had to go through being the primary target.
Q: What’s more exciting, going to Hawaii for a bowl game or coming to Mobile for the Senior Bowl?
A: Well, I’ve been to Hawaii a lot of times already, so I’ll say going to Mobile.
Q: Something new instead of spending Christmas Eve in Hawaii.
A: Yeah, so I’ll be missing out on another Christmas, but we got a chance to go to Hawaii. But, I would definitely say Mobile.
Q: You’re finally going to get a chance to play in a bowl game because you missed the previous bowls with injuries. What’s that going to be like to finally trot out there and play?
A: It’s going to be great. I haven’t had a chance yet to go out and experience a bowl game and actually play in it so it’s going to be great to finally get a chance to play in my first bowl game.
Q: What’s another big thing that you need NFL teams to know about you?
A: Something big about me is I never give up. I never give up. If somebody tells me I can’t it just gives me athat extra push to want to do it. I feed off of people telling me what I can’t do.
Q: Now when you’re going across the middle of the field, and you’re about to get hit by a linebacker, you don’t want that to be your Dad hitting you right?
A: (Laughs) No he’s probably still the biggest dude in our family. I wouldn’t want it to be him. Anybody else but him.
Q: Congrats again on the acceptance to the Reese’s Senior Bowl, we look forward to having you.
A: Thank you, appreciate it.