South Dakota coach Bob Nielson says new Browns CB Myles Harden 'will do anything' asked

Bob Nielson would be the first one to acknowledge Myles Harden's injury history while the cornerback was playing for him at the University of South Dakota. He would also be quick to point out that, when healthy, Harden was also one of the best players on the field.

"Two things about him, I would say, No. 1 is he's a very instinctive player, learns very quickly," Nielson told the Beacon Journal in a phone interview Wednesday. "Then the second thing is he's got a knack for, the one year that got hurt, he was actually, I think, leading the country in turnovers generated at the time that he got hurt.

"He's just got a knack for understanding the game and knowing where he needs to be. He's got those kinds of football instincts that not all great players have."

The accolades Harden, who the Cleveland Browns selected in the seventh round (No. 227 overall), achieved while playing at South Dakota support what his former coach believes. In the years he wasn't injured — COVID-adjusted 2020-21 season and last season — he earned FCS Division I All-America status of some sort.

Even his junior season in 2022, when a foot injury cost him the final five games of his season, Harden's play over the first six games was enough to earn a spot on the All-Missouri Valley Football Conference second team. That year, as Nielson pointed out, he still led the team in fumbles forced (four), interceptions (three) and passes defensed (three).

Harden was on the FCS All-America second team last season. On Saturday, he became just the 17th player in the history of the South Dakota football program to get drafted, and the first one in a decade.

"He had those injuries and I think those were kind of a blessing in disguise to be quite honest," South Dakota defensive backs coach/defensive pass game coordinator Miles Taylor told the Beacon Journal in a phone interview Thursday, "because he was able to sit back and watch and understand our defense and understand multiple positions within the defense and what the linebackers were doing, what the safeties were doing, what the corner, what the nickel was doing, which allowed him to play fast.

"… I think just the understanding of the defense from a holistic perspective and the knowledge of being able to sit back and see the big picture is something that he really grew in throughout his time at South Dakota."

Playing at the FCS level may have slightly limited the level of competition Harden faced on a game-by-game basis. However, the Coyotes did play against FBS Power-5 competition at least once a season, including a game at SEC member Missouri to open last season.

The Tigers boast multiple receivers who are seen as potential NFL draft picks in the future, led by sophomore star Luther Burden. Taylor said Harden wasn't matched up exclusively on any one receiver in the game, which South Dakota lost 35-10, but Harden did come away with his lone interception of the season.

"Obviously we didn't get the final outcome that we wanted, but in terms of his individual performance there was no worry in my head nor our defensive coordinator's head nor head coach's head that he wasn't going to go out there and compete because he did it before against Kansas State," Taylor said. "He's done it since he's been here as a freshman to come out there and compete against anybody that he plays against.

"And then obviously coming from Florida, you're playing guys with speed, you're playing guys that are really great receivers and he did a good job in high school, so I thought he played really well, and I think going to the next level he's just going to keep and flourishing."

Still, Harden's initial path to the field in Cleveland very well could have nothing to do with his coverage skills. That is, unless those coverage skills are on kickoffs or punts.

The aggressiveness both Nielson and Taylor said Harden possesses would certainly be a benefit on special teams, as long as it's controlled aggression. Browns general manager Andrew Berry acknowledged post-draft that a lot of time leading up to their day-three picks was spent viewing each player through that special-teams lens, seeing how he could fit in a role there.

"He'll do anything," Nielson said of Harden. "He's the kind of guy that'll do anything. He understands the importance. We put a lot of emphasis on the kicking game here and a lot of our best players play in those kicking game units, and the understanding of how important that is at the NFL level.

"He's a guy that's very versatile I think can play corner, he can play in the slot, he can be beneficial on a number of special teams units and he'll embrace any of those roles and responsibilities and attack them full speed ahead."

Still, Harden's ultimate goal is to actually get onto the field at cornerback. The issue there is the depth the Browns already possess at that spot.

Obviously, the corner group is led by Denzel Ward, Greg Newsome II and Martin Emerson Jr. However, one of last year's fifth-round picks, Cameron Mitchell, proved to be a solid depth piece when healthy during his own rookie season.

That would make it difficult for Harden to likely see the field in that role. However, there is a benefit as well to having that talent in your position group, and that comes in being able to learn from them.

"Myles is a guy that loves to get better," Taylor said. "He loves to compete. He wants to be the best player he possibly can be, and anybody that's around him that has done a great job and job at the highest level, he's going to try to pick their brain every day anytime they go out to practice, because he eventually wants to be one of those guys.

"So he's going to do everything in his power to pick their brain and learn from those guys and try to emulate what those guys were doing at the highest level."

Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Myles Harden 'soft-spoken,' aggressive according to his college coach