Cincinnati NFL draft bio: Haruki Nakamura

By Darrell Laurant  |   Monday, January 21, 2008  |  Comments( 0 )

Cincinnati Bearcats
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When he was growing up in Elyria, Ohio, Haruki Nakamura's family wanted him to practice judo. They were, after all, Japanese.

And he did, enjoying a certain amount of success in his age class. But the tackling style Nakamura subsequently took to the University of Cincinnati football team was more like kung fu.

"I like to surprise people," the 6-foot, 180-pound Nakamura once said when asked about his ferocious hitting.

But don't be surprised if Nakamura, a unanimous All Big East choice, winds up playing on Sundays. His coaches have compared him to Donte Whitner and Bob Sanders -- high praise, indeed.

According to Bearcat defensive backs coach Kerry Coombs, Nakamura is tough to coach -- in a good way.

"You'd better know your stuff," Coombs says, "because he (Nakamura) definitely knows it."

Nakamura had 86 tackles and four interceptions this past season for the 10-3 Bearcats. Against South Florida, he had two forced fumbles, an interception and 11 solo stops.

He's not going to make NFL scouts at the combine stop and double-check their watches in timing trials, but he's fast enough to have been an effective college punt returner. He won't be the brawniest guy in anybody's defensive backfield, but then again, neither is Bob Sanders.

"Somebody is going to take a chance on him," says Coombs. "and they won't be sorry."
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