Ontario Prospect Challenge Profile: Lion looking to develop IQ and skills

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Positions:
Wide Receiver, Quarterback

Height/Weight:
6’1, 147 lbs

Teams:
Cambridge Lions (OVFL)
Saint Benedict Saints (high school: WCSSAA)

Commitment:
None

Official Visits:
Western

Considerations:
Western, McMaster, Open

Class:
2018

Brayden Harris started out playing soccer and baseball, but never really found joy until he found football.

It has been one of his favourite sports since a young age, and he has been playing for about eight years now.

“Football is an opportunity for me to grow a person, as a more knowledgeable, understanding and patient person, and player,” said Brayden.

He has been playing Cambridge Lions travel football in the Ontario Varsity Football League (OVFL) every year since he joined when I was at the first year atom age group, and even now he talk to my coaches who he has bonded with and they still say how he stood out from all the other kids.

Brayden also plays for his high school team, the Saint Benedict Saints.

“My goals for the Ontario Prospect Challenge (OPC) are to develop my football IQ, as well as developing on my skill sets with the coaches they have as well as being a starter on the team being able to display all my talents,” commented the Lion.

During the offseason, Brayden trains at his local gym and has three personal trainers who work closely with him to improve his game.

This offseason, he increased all of his weight training and all of his speed training making a big difference in his high school football season, rushing around 150 plus yards per game and throwing around 250 yards when he plats his second position.

The wide receiver also plays basketball to help his hand eye coordination and his vertical jump, along with having fun in the meantime.

Moreover, in the future, Brayden would like to attend Western, McMaster or a school in the States if it is an option.

“I have visited Western and have developed a good relationship with Greg Marshall because I used to help and be the ball boy but I have started to do camps there and show what serious talent I can offer their program,” commented the Lion.

He has also done Jamie Bone’s quarterback camp (QB Nation) twice, in 2012 and 2013, when he used to play quarterback.

This camp gave him knowledge on not just throwing mechanics, but also reading defences.

Brayden has also visited Michigan State University for a camp and met with coaches asking him to come back next year, but it is nothing too serious yet.

“Hopefully this summer I will get some more knowledge from this year’s camp,” added the wide receiver.

On the field his idol is Julio Jones because he just does his own thing and he does not need the media making extra noise around him. He goes out every game and plays to his best abilities, usually having outstanding games that go unnoticed.

He is a big part of his offence and Brayden can relate to him because he can do everything. He blocks, makes great catches and he is the same body type as Brayden, a tall very athletic receiver with long arms.

“He’s also very humble, which I can relate to,” added the Lion.

“Football to me has been the best sport that I’ve ever played mainly for the reason that as a team we’re closer and more bonded than we would be in any other sport,” said Brayden, who looks at other teams and sees that they do not share the same love and bond for one another.

“We win as a team and lose as a team,” said the Lion. “No single person determines it.”

“It has also kept me disciplined in the classroom, I keep the same standards for excellence on the field as in the classroom maintaining honour roll status for the past two years of high school,” commented Brayden.