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Posted Monday, Apr. 05, 2010
BY CHAREAN WILLIAMS
[email protected]
Matt Harris knew what he wanted out of life when he was only 7.
In a personal narrative, Harris wrote that he wanted to play for the Arkansas Razorbacks and then play free safety for the Dallas Cowboys, following in his father's footsteps.
"Then, I would retire and my life would be over," Harris recounted Monday.
Harris hung it on his wall for inspiration.
"I'm on the right path so far," Harris, 23, said.
Matt's father, Cliff, played for the Cowboys for 10 seasons and was inducted into the team's Ring of Honor in 2004. Matt, who had 71 tackles and an interception last year as a senior at Arkansas, earned a workout with the Cowboys on Monday.
The Richardson Pearce product was among the local players invited to Valley Ranch for Dallas Day.
TCU linebacker Jerry Hughes, Baylor center J.D. Walton, Texas A&M safety Jordan Pugh and Texas offensive tackle Adam Ulatoski from Southlake Carroll were others who spent the day with the Cowboys.
Walton, an Allen product, used to attend games at Texas Stadium. Arizona safety Corey Hall, a DeSoto product, grew up rooting for his favorite Cowboys -- Emmitt Smith, Michael Irvin, Darren Woodson and George Teague.
"They are America's Team," said Hughes, who attended Dallas Day but did not work out. "So it was cool seeing the Cowboys up close."
Besides it being his hometown team, Matt Harris had another reason to want to play for the Cowboys. He wanted to be just like his dad.
Cliff Harris, a free-agent find for the Cowboys in 1970 out of Ouachita Baptist, wants the same chance for his son.
"I was as nervous about his workout than I was when I played," said Cliff Harris, who attended the workout. "I hope that dream can come true for him being another Harris free agent. I hope they give him a chance to become that player, because I think he certainly has the athletic ability."
The Cowboys released starting free safety Ken Hamlin on Friday. During their national visits last week, the Cowboys hosted three highly regarded safety prospects-- South Florida's Nate Allen, LSU's Chad Jones and Georgia Tech's Morgan Burnett.
Local safeties Pugh, Hall and Harris visited Monday.
"I feel like it was a good opportunity even if they hadn't cut Hamlin," Hall said. "Just to get to work out in front of NFL scouts anywhere is an opportunity in itself, but with things happening with the Cowboys, it has opened an even bigger door for us as safeties."
That's all Matt Harris wants -- a chance.
"It would complete something I've wanted to do since I was 7, since I've been wearing pads," Harris said.
Charean Williams, 817-390-7162
Read more: http://www.star-telegram.com/2010/04/05/2091268/cliff-harris-son-works-out-for.html#ixzz0kK9OsSVX
BY CHAREAN WILLIAMS
[email protected]
Matt Harris knew what he wanted out of life when he was only 7.
In a personal narrative, Harris wrote that he wanted to play for the Arkansas Razorbacks and then play free safety for the Dallas Cowboys, following in his father's footsteps.
"Then, I would retire and my life would be over," Harris recounted Monday.
Harris hung it on his wall for inspiration.
"I'm on the right path so far," Harris, 23, said.
Matt's father, Cliff, played for the Cowboys for 10 seasons and was inducted into the team's Ring of Honor in 2004. Matt, who had 71 tackles and an interception last year as a senior at Arkansas, earned a workout with the Cowboys on Monday.
The Richardson Pearce product was among the local players invited to Valley Ranch for Dallas Day.
TCU linebacker Jerry Hughes, Baylor center J.D. Walton, Texas A&M safety Jordan Pugh and Texas offensive tackle Adam Ulatoski from Southlake Carroll were others who spent the day with the Cowboys.
Walton, an Allen product, used to attend games at Texas Stadium. Arizona safety Corey Hall, a DeSoto product, grew up rooting for his favorite Cowboys -- Emmitt Smith, Michael Irvin, Darren Woodson and George Teague.
"They are America's Team," said Hughes, who attended Dallas Day but did not work out. "So it was cool seeing the Cowboys up close."
Besides it being his hometown team, Matt Harris had another reason to want to play for the Cowboys. He wanted to be just like his dad.
Cliff Harris, a free-agent find for the Cowboys in 1970 out of Ouachita Baptist, wants the same chance for his son.
"I was as nervous about his workout than I was when I played," said Cliff Harris, who attended the workout. "I hope that dream can come true for him being another Harris free agent. I hope they give him a chance to become that player, because I think he certainly has the athletic ability."
The Cowboys released starting free safety Ken Hamlin on Friday. During their national visits last week, the Cowboys hosted three highly regarded safety prospects-- South Florida's Nate Allen, LSU's Chad Jones and Georgia Tech's Morgan Burnett.
Local safeties Pugh, Hall and Harris visited Monday.
"I feel like it was a good opportunity even if they hadn't cut Hamlin," Hall said. "Just to get to work out in front of NFL scouts anywhere is an opportunity in itself, but with things happening with the Cowboys, it has opened an even bigger door for us as safeties."
That's all Matt Harris wants -- a chance.
"It would complete something I've wanted to do since I was 7, since I've been wearing pads," Harris said.
Charean Williams, 817-390-7162
Read more: http://www.star-telegram.com/2010/04/05/2091268/cliff-harris-son-works-out-for.html#ixzz0kK9OsSVX
