Saints cornerback De'Vante Harris expecting to be targeted, confident he can make plays

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By Amos Morale III

amorale@nola.com,

NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune

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After giving up two big catches to Minnesota Vikings receiver Stefon Diggs Monday night, Saints cornerback De'Vante Harris knows the target will be on his back Sunday afternoon when New Orleans hosts the New England Patriots.

"I'm an unproven player in this league. They are going to go after me every week," he said. "... (Diggs) made some great grabs. I was there on the two that he did make that I was in man coverage. But yeah. It is what it is. I'm going to be mentally tough about it so they can come after me if they want to. But I'll still be 10 toes down."

Harris, who signed with the team as an undrafted free agent out of Texas A&M in 2016, is looking forward to that challenge as the Patriots bring in a receiving core with several talented pass catchers, including former Saints receiver Brandin Cooks.

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"I'm a competitor, man," Harris said. "I just gotta keep in the mentality that I'm going to win more than I'm going to lose. Playing this game, being a corner, you gotta have a real short memory. You gotta be able to eliminate the bad plays that happen to you and I feel I can do that.

"My confidence will never waver. They can come after me. I'm here."

The Vikings seemed to go after Harris Monday night, most notably when quarterback Sam Bradford threw the second of his two touchdown passes to Diggs in the endzone just before halftime. Diggs was able to make a leaping grab, secure the ball and get both feet in bounds with Harris draped all over him.

"That's a good play," Saints coach Sean Payton said. "You have a receiver, you have a good throw location. That is part of playing corner and we will continue to work (with him). But I think he's competing there and in position. You have to give them credit. From a throw and catch standpoint, we try to do that often with Mike (Thomas)."

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Payton, who earlier in the week said Harris earned his snaps due to consistent play during the preseason, said plays like that aren't ones the team will dwell on in the film room and Harris most certainly isn't.

He said his experience last year, which saw him inactive for several games and even included a Week 3 special teams error in which Harris was pushed into punt returner Tommylee Lewis and tried to field the loose ball before fumbling, helped him learn to move past plays that don't go his way.

"I had a real up and down last year," he said. "Just me getting down on myself, me pouting or whatever, it didn't get me nowhere. I gotta be more positive. I got to stay upbeat because I've got other guys counting on me."

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